When I got up Tuesday morning, I checked on all of my four legged
kids to see how everyone was doing before I went on with my day. When
I checked on George and Lottie, I found George unconscious. Our vet
diagnosed him with Insulinoma in October and I knew his blood sugar
was probably out of whack. He is not the first ferret I have had with
Insulinoma so I've been through the 'Insulinoma crashes' and knew how
to handle them. But I knew this time with George was different. He
began having seizures. I tried everything I did in the past when I had
a ferret crash, but nothing was working. This went on for a few hours.
The seizures subsided for awhile and I thought I got him through the
worst of it. Nope, the relief was short lived and he started having
seizures again. I can't describe what he was going through other than
to say it was the most heartbreaking scene I've ever seen. I felt
helpless because I couldn't even hold him because his seizures were
so violent. He would scream the most ear-piercing scream I have every
heard. I didn't think ferrets could scream and scream that loud. I have
had a couple cry out before they past away, but nothing like George.
I couldn't take it anymore. I called our vet clinic and said I was
bringing George in ASAP. The clinic is about 30 miles from our house
and I broke every speed limit to get there.

When I got the clinic, one of the vet techs took us to a room
immediately. Another one came in to get a brief synopsis on what was
going on with George. I told her he needed to be put to sleep to end
his suffering. Even if we pulled George through, he wouldn't be the
same ferret my husband and I nicknamed 'Crazy Man' . We called him that
because he would get so excited when we would let him out of his cage
to play. He would jump and run crazily! In fact, he acted liked that
the first time I saw him. Four years ago, I had gone to a home to
rescue George and the rest of his family. The gentleman who had called
the ferret rescue to pick them up had just lost his wife to cancer. He
didn't want to take care of the ferrets since they had been his wife's
four-legged kids. He only knew the names of the two of them--out of
the 9 ferrets his wife had. I went into the 'ferret room' where the 9
of them were caged up in 2 large dog crates. When I opened up the door
to one of the crates, George was the first one out and he came out
dancing!! He was definitely the comedian of the group. After I got the
group back to the rescue, I bathe them, clean their ears, cut their
nails, and set them up in cage--and gave them new names. The entire
time I was doing this, George watched my every move. I said to him,
"Boy, you're very curious." This how George got his name 'Curious
George', but I shortened it to 'George'. To make a long story short,
my husband and I ended up adopting George and the rest of the group,
minus four who had passed away before we began fostering them. We fell
in love with them and couldn't let them go.

Now, we only have 1 of the group left, Lottie. I took her with me when
I took George in so she could 'say goodbye'. They've been together for
a long time. I didn't want just take George away and have her wake up
to find him gone. I believe animals grieve just like we do and need
closure when they lose a beloved cage mate/friend/family member. After
George past away, I sat down on the floor with him. I picked up and
held Lottie next to him so she could see him. She sniffed him, groomed
him a little and curled up next to him. She eventually laid on top of
George gently and stayed that way for about 10 minutes or so. Then, she
started to get fidgeted. I picked her up and held her next to George
one more time, but she was done 'saying good bye'. So far, Lottie is
doing ok. She is eating fine so she hasn't lost her appetite. But I
know she is sad. She is the last one of her family group. For now, she
has her own 'room'. I may try putting her with another group and see
how she does. Lottie can hold her own but she is older and set in her
ways (lol). Her nickname is 'Lottie Monster' if that gives you any
idea of her personality.

I know ferrets' lifespans are short compared to dogs and cats, but it
still doesn't prepare you for the last moment you will ever hold them.
I knew George's time was short due to his illness, but I thought we
would have more time with him. However, he is at peace now and not
longer suffering. I would like to believe that when George crossed
the Rainbow Bridge he was dancing like a 'crazy man'!! I hope he was
reunited with his family, (Molly, Mikey, Turner, Sammy, KK, Jay, and
Minnie). I also hope they are all weasel war dancing up a storm. So,
if you see a handsome silver ferret boy dancing like crazy while
watching your every move, it is probably George!!

I've lost a number of ferrets over the last several years. Each time
one of them died, I cried and asked myself if there was something more
I could have done for them. Once I moved through the grief, nothing but
happy thoughts of the time I had with each of one them remains. I think
it is going to take me a little longer with George. I can't close my
eyes without seeing him going through the seizures. For just a brief
moment during his seizures, I saw a flicker in George's eyes, I saw
my 'crazy man'. It was as if he was not giving up the fight with the
seizures. However, the longer the seizures went on, the less fight
George had in him. When I saw his eyes tear up, I knew it was time to
end his suffering. It was the hardest but the easiest decision I ever
made when it came to saying good bye to one of my four-legged kids. My
husband, who is an absolutely wonderful and compassionate man, cannot
understand my grief. He empathizes with me but cannot even come close
to understanding what I went through watching George. I hope I never
have that experience again. My heart couldn't bear to watch another
one of my 'kids' go through what George went through.

Hold your ferrets a little closer and tell them that you love them.
Cherish every moment with them!!

Thanks for letting me share. Writing is an outlet for me and helps me
to work through my grief.


Lisa & the business of ferrets: Lottie, Bear, Carlin, Freya, Siduri,
Snowball, Nonnie, and Mony

[Posted in FML 6215]