I am able to write this now and will do so before I loose my ability to
keep from breaking down which I have been doing way too much lately.
 
As you all know, I lost 3 ferrets in close proximity to one another.
The first 2 I realize could not be helped because of the circumstances
involved (age, cancer they had and so forth).  Reb McFarland posted the
details in a much more detailed and accurate description then what I was
mentally capable of doing.  My mind has been rambling and I am physically
exhausted from lack of sleep and the nightmares I am constantly having
over this entire incident.
 
Now the 3rd ferret had a chance and what happened was an blatant case of
neglect and lack of ferret information which we had discussed at length
when my Rusty was in the hospital in July.  The vet acted like she was
interested in the information I gave her and I also had a phone number
of a ferret knowledgeable vet that Troy Lynn Eckart had given to me who
would talk to her about Rusty's case.  You simply do not pull a ferret
off his food just like that and expect him to switch to another food
right off the bat and she had this info from me after she basically did
the same thing to Rusty.  Thanks to Bellevue Hospital he was saved.  But
it cost a small fortune for 6 days of supportive care and this money is
still owed to a ferret angel who paid for it.  I have yet to pay her the
balance of what is owed.  Now Bellevue is over an hour and a halfs drive
from me and I was recently informed they are no longer seeing ferrets.
So when Krackin' developed the diarrhea and grossly prolapsed rectum I
felt that I could take him to the vet I had taken Rusty to ans as she
said she had seen this before and could deal with it.  Overnight became a
3 day stay with her refusing to want to let him go home on the 3rd day.
She told me she was switching his diet.  I had a bad feeling and figured
she was not doing what I had given her instruction as far as feeding
baby food and being there with him in a period of less then 8 damn hour
intervals.  I could not go to be with him as the techs frown on this and
also I live too far to drive there every two hours and I also had to
work.  I get him home and my God he is already one foot in the grave.  He
was skin and bones and his eyes were sunk deeply into his head.  I did
everything I could to get him stabilized and could not do so.  When he
passed the coagulated blood clot that was a substantial size I had to
make the decision of whether he would live or die before nights end.  He
was in pain and I could not take this so I made the dreadful decision of
having him put out of his misery.  I called a local vet who came to his
office for the cost of $100.00 and stood in the room and said my good
byes.
 
I am not snapping out of this deep dark depression I am in and I am in
a state of anger that scares the hell out of me.  I can't sleep and the
dreams are horrible.  I have 10 other ferrets counting on me and 3 of
them are grieving I have noticed as they were Krackin's major buds.  So
what all this boils down to is you newbie ferret owners.  PLEASE PLEASE
make sure that when you get a ferret you have a vet that is ferret
knowledeable.  Interview them and make sure you are happy with the
answers and feelings you get from them.  Think of important questions to
ask them like how many ferrets they see on a regular basis.  How many
adrenal surgeries have they performed.  When a ferret is hospitalized and
especially if it is over a weekend, how often do they go in and check on
them and do they know NOT to simply put a strange brand of kibble in
front of them and expect them to simply take right to it.  Do they keep
baby food on hand and do they know what duck soup is?  Of course you can
take this in to them and ask if they would feed it to them on an hourly
basis or so.  I feel responsible for Krackin's death in the fact that I
somehow expected her to have these supplies (baby food on hand).  We went
thru this entire discussion the last damn time with Rusty and she acted
like she would indeed take all this info and impliment it.  By God put
your prospective vet in the 'you are the employer and they are the
employee process' and it can be done in a nice, non-condescending manner.
Coming across angry only gets them defensive and that is not what you
want.  What I need from you all right now that are more familiar with
ferret giref is a run down on what I should do for the 3 that are
grieving.  I have some really screwy hours at work and no one here to
help me so it is all up to me to deal with this.  By God I am not loosing
any more over grief.  It would simply kill me.
 
Send your prayers out and give those ferts an extra kiss and hug today.
You never can learn enough and I have found this out in a very hard
manner.
 
Diane
[Posted in FML issue 3968]