Hi everyone,
 
Well, I told the FHL I was going to do it, and I finally lost enough
marbles to actually go through with it!  I had a pet communicator speak
to my aging ferrets last night.  It was a very enlightening evening!  If
you already read this on the FHL, scroll down for more of the story.
Please, no flames from skeptics.
 
First off, Molly is almost 6.5 years old.  She developed symptoms of IBD,
and most recently insulinoma.  I wanted to know how she was feeling, so I
had the woman (Lorelei Hunt) ask her.  She said as soon as she connected
with Molly, she felt this horrible pain on the right side of her face.
Molly then told her that one side of her face was hurting her.  It had
been for about a month.  That was exactly when Molly went off of her
kibble and started dropping weight!  I thought it was just the IBD.  She
said she was sensing that it was also hard for Molly to open her mouth
and to chew.  Which is why she no longer gives me kisses.  (I asked!
Well...I miss them. ;-) )   She also said she was having some abdominal
discomfort from the IBD, and that she felt that the med (prednisone) was
starting to lose it's edge.  Somedays, it didn't seem to help at all.
Those would be our bad days, when the IBD rears it's ugly head.  She also
told the woman (before I said anything about IBD, mind you), "I had good
poop today!"  LOL, I always tell my ferrets when they have a good poop
day!  Hee-hee!  When you live with IBD ferrets, they are especially GOOD
days, if you know what I mean!  <VBG>  So, I'm not sure if it's her TMJ,
her teeth, or possibly her sinuses.  I examined her teeth and there was
no sign of any swelling or abcesses.  So, we'll be going back to the vet.
Molly also said she likes this vet much better than the others we've been
to because she felt they didn't know what they were doing.  We've been
seeing Anna Edling, in Plymouth Meeting, PA for years now, and Molly is
right, she's great.  Ooh, I just remembered!  Molly had ECE when she 4
mos old and the vet at that time didn't know or really care to know much
about it.  Didn't even look at the info I brought on ECE.  He prescribed
Amoxi and asked me if she would eat boiled chicken, for heaven's sake!
The only reason she survived was because a local member of the FML took
me under her wing and showed me how to syringe feed her.  I guess Molly
remembered!  <G>
 
I also had her ask Molly if she would like to have surgery.  She said
as long as it would get rid of the problem and not just be exploratory.
Well, surgery won't take care of the IBD, and I can't guarantee that
insulinoma surgery will take care of the problem once and for all.  Not
with a 40% chance of recurrence within 4 months of surgery, anyway.  So,
I guess I'll be sticking with medication therapy.  Molly said she knows
the med is to help her.  She's okay with it.
 
I asked Molly what she thought about the cats.  Lorelei said "she's
telling me there are two, one is darker than the other.  The lighter one
is multi-colored."  I didn't say a word to her about the cats before I
asked the question.  I swear!  She described the cats perfectly.  We
adopted them two months ago when our old cat had to be euthanized.
Anyway, Molly said the lighter one (Aspen) is more aloof to her, but the
other one, (Fern - came with the name), talks to her.  Molly chases both
of these cats all over the house.  The tenacity and boldness of ferrets
never ceases to amaze me.
 
Fozzie, my 6 year old gib, told the woman that his chest ached.  When
asked about his horrible-looking tail ( posted yesterday on the FHL), he
told her that it felt cold and detached from him, and that he couldn't
feel the end of it.  Now, I know it's not gangrenous...it doesn't smell
and it's got good blood supply, judging by the red sores.  He said it
wasn't hurting him.  I wonder if the scabs are dulling sensation?
 
Next, I asked why he chokes and gags when he drinks from the water bowl.
He told her he sometimes breathes while he drinks...my interpretation...he
is inhaling while drinking with his head submerged!  Big Dummy!  Then I
asked, "Why does he keep missing the litter box?"  He'll go in front of
it for Pete's sake!  I thought maybe he didn't like to use it once another
ferret had soiled it.  Nope, he said sometimes he just can't make it in
time.  She said he's not doing to be spiteful or anything.  She then asked
him to use it sooner or to sleep closer to one.  It would help his Mom a
lot.  He said he would.  Guess what...not a miss in 24 hours!  He always
does it at least twice a day, if not more!
 
She actually asked me if he seemed senile at all!  I guess he came across
like an old geezer that was losing control of his faculties!  Hee-hee!
She said he came across as a "pull my finger" kinda character, and was
very laid back and unconcerned about things.  In response to my question,
he told me that he and Angel were not siblings, but they were related.
Lorelei laughed at that point, and said "He's giving me a run down of the
family tree!  I guess that's important to ferrets!"
 
Okay, next ferret.  Angel is also 6 years old.  She said that she had a
few aches and pains, but nothing serious.  She said her neck was a little
sore.  My explanation...she's been squeezing under the dresser, and it's a
tight fit.  Her lymph nodes feel fine, so that's my only hunch.  She said
she gets cold easily.  Angel is incontinent due to ectopic ureters, so I'm
sure the wet heiny is the culprit there.  Lorelei said she was very quiet
and didn't have too much to say, other than she really liked the soup I
was feeding Molly, but that it needed more salt!  Well, I never!  A
critic!  Hee-hee!  I guess she liked it better with the electrolytes
in it. <G>
 
The one cat, Fern, said that when she first saw the ferrets, she didn't
know quite what to make of them.  She thought they were the strangest
looking dogs she ever saw.  Then she thought they looked like something
she might hunt. (Yikes!)  Lorelei assured me that she knows they are part
of the family and must not be hurt, though.  I asked that they please be
very gentle.  The cat said "I haven't hurt anyone yet, have I?" Quite
the attitude!  Said she was "top cat/dog" too, regardless of species.  No
wonder Molly chases her!
 
Needless to say, I was quite amazed by what transpired.  My ferrets
actually looked at me, while she was talking with them.
 
Oh well, so I'll be scheduling an appointment for Molly and Fozzie this
week.  Can't wait to see the look on my vet's face when I tell her why I'm
there!  LOL, I guess she'll be thinking that I'm the one who's lost it!
 
Dook, Dook!
 
Dodie
[Posted in FML issue 3759]