Sorry, I don't post often and for the last couple of weeks have not even
been reading much.  I want to say that I'm very sorry to anyone with sick
babies or who have lost their babies.  I also want to say that I'm sorry
if I misspell anything.  But have had a very hard few months and it has
only gotten worse.  Since March my sister has been in the hospital 4
times and had 3 emergency surg.  The last one a colostomy.  She is
only 41years old and is doing better (as well as you can under those
conditions), so it would be an understatement to say we had a good 4th
of July.  That was the day of last surgery.
 
And if that is not enough to keep someone stressed out, We have had two
very sick ferrets.
 
I will start with Shadow, AKA Ms. Bunz, she always has to taste test
mommy and daddy's food.  She started slowing down 2 weeks ago and lost a
couple of oz.  Got her to the vet, took 3 days, Dr Wheat was out of the
office and her partner, Dr Hill, does not do ferrets, though she did give
me fluids to give her sub-q.  She was anemic, stated treating her for
ulcer (even thought no other symptoms) and put her on high iron vitamins
(June 24th) on the 27th and 28th she got blood transfusions from 3 of my
other ferrets and by the weekend was doing better, had gained weight and
energy.  Recheck on the 7/5, she was even more anemic then when she was
first checked, Dr Wheat said what no one wants to hear Leukemia and that
Shadow was to weak to do the bone marrow tests to find out what kind and
how to treat it, she would not last long and we would have to decide if
we wanted to put her to sleep, since she was not have a good quality of
life.  We did not have to make that choice though she died during the
night of the 5th.
 
2nd sick ferret, my Sirkokobean, had a UTI 3 1/2 weeks ago and at that
time Dr Wheat said that she felt a small "growth" in his abdomen, just a
shadow showed on x-ray, so no hurry about check it out, clear up UTI then
we worry about that.  He hated the amoxi for 2 weeks was a hard fight to
give it to, but he was feeling better and acting better, so not worried.
Over the weekend of the 4th he started losing weight and acting like he
felt ad.  Took to Dr Wheat with Shadow on the 5th.  She said the "growth"
was bigger and we needed to do surgery, set up for Friday the 8th.  So I
stated out of work Friday (had been sick all week anyway) and took him
in for his surgery.  They sent me home, it was going to be hours (several
surgeries sch).  I told them to call me and I would come back.  Dr. Wheat
called me when she cut him open, the "growth" was a tumor that was
encasing the blood supply for his intestines and he had already started
bleeding from it, he could live but not for long and would be in pain.
I had to give the OK for him to never wakeup, it was one of the hardest
things I have ever had to do, but I could not let him suffer in anyway.
 
So now we only have 7 ferrets with us.  And 5 at the bridge.
 
Robin and the fuzzy dumpling gang
missing Sirkokobean, Shadow, Snowflake, Oreo and Sprocket
[Posted in FML issue 4934]