First, I want to offer great **thanks** again to everyone who contributed to
White Fang's surgery expenses.  Without all of you truly wonderful ferret
lovers, her rescue would have not been possible.  I do WANT to know what
others think, whether you donated to her expenses or not, so if anyone has
anything to say about all this after reading these posts, PLEASE email me.
I sincerely appreciate everyone's input.  Though I only encourage
constructive suggestions or criticisms, not random flames, sorry I just
don't have the time for those.
 
I have received some emails recently from some expressing their concerns
about White Fang.  I sincerely do appreciate these letters, and want to
thank those who have voiced their concerns, if not for them I might never
have realized that many of you may not understand all that has gone into the
decisions about where she should go, whether Bob should adopt her, and so
forth.  I realize the majority of FML readers are not shelter operators and
because you are not accustomed to it, it may be difficult for you to
consider all the angles to these decisions we shelter people make almost
every day.  The decision making is one of the roughest parts.  There is not
a "shelter manual" out there with the 'correct' answers in the back (like we
had in math class in high school).  We have to use our own instincts and try
to do the best we can for these wonderful little ones.  Some of you may even
be thinking that *I* have made some decisions that are not in *White Fang's*
best interests.  So I would like to talk about all the aspects here and
hopefully ease some people's minds.
 
This has been a tough job.  I won't go into detail about all the midnight
phone calls to and from Canada on her behalf, lying awake at night
struggling with decisions about her, hundreds of emails back and forth about
her and deciding what are the best options for her, high phone and aol
bills, etc., because I accept these things as part of running a shelter.
But I just want everyone to know it has not been easy.  Yes, I would do it
all over again, that is not the point.  The point is ALOT has gone into all
of this and NO decision has been made in haste or without great
consideration for White Fang.
 
If you have been keeping up with her on the FML regularly, you already know
that Monica has tried for months to socialize White Fang with other ferrets,
all to no avail.  She is also deaf, and that may account for some of her
'lack of good social skills' with other ferrets.  She originally came from a
humane society.  The man who adopted her from them could not socialize her
with his ferrets either, and was going to 'give her back to them' when we
intervened.  We have no clue what this girl has been through before we came
to know of her plight.  Nor do we have a clue where she may have been or
originally come from.
 
Monica has done wonders with White Fang in the several months that she kept
her for us until someone could transfer her to a shelter.  (It was actually
Bob's idea to bring her to *my* shelter.) She has even taught White Fang
some sign language, but she remains unsociable.  I am afraid that I do not
have alot of confidence in the vet who saw her in Calgary.  I would feel
better if she were to see a vet more experienced with ferrets, before she is
pronounced "adoptable".
 
Some feel that perhaps she has bonded with Bob and that the best thing would
be for her to stay with (be adopted by) him.  (I wonder why we are not
concerned that she has bonded to Monica, she was with her far longer than
she has been with Bob, just something to think about.)  Please understand
that I feel Bob is a great ferret-dad.  I have no doubt that he would
provide only the best for her, that is not the question at all.  The
question is what is truly best for all the **ferrets** involved here.
Believe me, I have wrestled with all this for almost two months now, so I
have not taken this lightly.
 
Remember, Bob has some ferrets that are around ten years of age who have not
been exposed to ECE, and he is up to some incredible number like 19 or so
now.  If White Fang is unsociable now, how would she react to such a large
number?  Yes, over time, I have hopes that she may eventually be socialized
with other ferrets, but even if that happens, I think a small number would
make her adjustment easier than a large number.  I have some here that
started out "unsociable" and after 6 months of trying everything under the
sun to get them to accept others, they still attack any other ferret they
see, and Sam would kill another ferret if given the opportunity.  So not all
*can* be socialized, frankly, I don't know if White Fang could or could not
change, as I have not even 'met' her yet.
 
So, with those things said, let's think about ECE for a moment.  Consider
this... White Fang came from an SPCA shelter.  How do we know where she came
from before that??  How do we know she is not a carrier of ECE *already*??
Oh, "Well, she came from Canada" you say, "and Canada doesn't have ECE".
 
First of all, this is no longer true!  There is ECE in Canada, most
definitely.  Many cases known of, and many more ferrets across this country
and Canada that have had such a mild case of ECE that it only lasted a day
or so, or the symptoms were so mild that they were never diagnosed
officially as having it, because the owners were not aware of the signs that
go with ECE, having never seen it themselves before, and being under the
impression that ECE is a horrid thing and lasts a long time and all ferrets
who get it become deathly ill.  All of these things are not true in every
case, and only rarely is it life threatening if caught in time.  Many
ferrets out there **have had ECE** and even their owners do not know they
have had it and are now carriers.
 
Secondly, we do not know for sure that White Fang did not come from
somewhere else entirely.  Most people take their pets when they move don't
they?  Suppose someone moved from Texas, or Virginia, or Ontario, or
wherever, to Calgary, then due to job, new baby, divorce, or any other
possible reason, they decided to give her up to the SPCA.  Or, what if she
escaped from them and animal control had picked her up.  We really don't
have a clue where she has been or how she got to the SPCA in the first
place.  How can we be sure she is **not** a carrier already of ECE?
 
***I could never forgive myself if *she* were to bring it to Bob's older
ferrets.***
 
I hope Bob has considered all of these things.  These are just some of the
reasons *I* want to talk about all this in person with him before making a
final decision.  He has also indicated to me that it is fine with him if she
is adopted elsewhere.  He has never even asked to adopt her, so let's not
make assumptions here that he is willing to take on this 'challenge', as it
seems she is turning out to be, she is incredibly smart even for a ferret.
 
Do you recall one of my posts to the FML back when there was a discussion
going on about ECE?  Do you remember that I said that the worst part of ECE
is the FEAR of it, itself?  I feel this strongly!  As long as the ferrets
are young and healthy, if you know what to look for so that you can catch it
in time, and you know exactly what to do about it, then ECE is **NOT** such
a big deal.  I **DO NOT** consider it life threatening at all under these
circumstances.  I have seen it, I have dealt with it in over 30 individual
ferrets.  I have lost NONE.  (At least two were even between 4 and 6 years
of age, another one has hypoglycemia, and two had adrenal tumors, and they
all came through with flying colors.) Please don't think I am bragging here
or any such thing, I am certainly not.  I would be the **last** person to
suggest White Fang come here, if I thought there was the slightest risk that
it would cause lasting damage or suffering for her.  Not all will agree with
me, but she is only 2-1/2 years old.  I think she is a good candidate for
exposure.  I believe she will have no serious problems with ECE.
 
Unless she shows signs of a health problem, which I doubt since Bob and
Monica are certainly very knowledgeable about these things, she will not be
isolated at mom's with the other ferrets there that I am trying to protect
from ECE.  As I noted above, we can't be sure that she has not already been
exposed, or that she is not a carrier.  I could never forgive myself if poor
little Angel got ECE from White Fang, or if Fruitloop or Jasmine got it.
(These are the 3 that are over at mom's.)
 
Perhaps I have just grown accustomed to ECE.  It is alot of work, but so
far, has not been life threatening except to 2.  Festus had a serious
underlying problem before he got ECE and all of this really set him back,
but with aggressive treatment and feeding, he is doing great now.  Didley,
one of mine, got hit with a secondary infection while he had ECE and became
very ill from that, but thanks to a smart vet and quick action on my part,
he recovered quickly.  I have learned a great deal about signs to watch for
and how to treat the symptoms.  I have discussed treatments and methods with
many shelters, Dr. Williams, and other vets.  The key to ECE seems to be
*knowing* what you are dealing with, and reacting quickly with a variation
of Duck Soup (I call it Meg's Magic Mush and keep it ready in my freezer at
all times) and Pedialyte, and if they refuse to drink enough and dehydration
starts to set in, I can do Sub-Q fluids and keep everything I need on hand
at all times.  I can almost always tell they are getting it the day before
the first symptoms even appear just by their actions and the look in their
eyes.  (This may sound wierd, but it it true.) ECE is alot of work, but that
is what I am here for.
 
Some have said they felt that the more ferrets that are exposed the bigger
this ECE epidemic will be.  I am not certain we have much *control* over it
at anyway.  Please consider that we have the best vets in the country
working on this and *they* can't even get a handle on it.  It is spreading
at incredible rates no matter how careful we are.
 
In talking to many other shelters who have experienced ECE and watching it
here, I have made a decision.  I may be wrong, but I have to follow my own
instincts here, since we may have to wait years for a vaccine.  I feel that,
if a ferret is healthy, and is four or under, that it *should* be exposed so
that it won't be hit by it once it gets older and cannot deal with it.  I
know they can have it again, but it will usually be a milder case, at least.
I think that eventually we are *all* going to be hit with ECE and the more
(young, healthy) ferrets we can expose to it, so they can have some
resistance to it, then the better their chance of surviving.  I am watching
this disease spread like wildfire.  I hope with all my heart that those with
ill or older ferrets can protect them from it, but I fear they will not be
able to.
 
So **are we truly doing the "best" thing for White Fang if we "protect" her
from ECE now, while she is young enough that it will not be life
threatening, while running the risk that she will be hit by it at an older
age, and then may have a much harder time recovering or that she might not
recover at all?** These are weighty matters that I have had to consider
thoroughly.
 
This is not said too often, but it seems to me that many of the losses to
ECE could have been prevented.  The reason some have died is that the owners
simply did not know about ECE and how to properly handle it.  ECE is just so
new and not alot is known except to those who read the FML thoroughly and
seek out the information on ECE.  Most of these ferrets could have lived had
the owners known exactly what to look for and exactly how to respond.
Sometimes they realized it was ECE, but did not realize that *very
aggressive* treatments were needed for a particular ferret.  If one is sick
here, I get up through the night even, to check on them, and they sleep in a
small carrier on my night stand so I can hear them if they start vomitting.
This has been crucial for a few here, so it has become my standard
proceedure.  Festus was a tough one, if I can pull him through it, I believe
I can pull any reasonably healthy ferret through it.
 
Another consideration is that if Bob wants to adopt more ferrets there is a
far greater need for homes for ferrets over four years of age that can be
protected from ECE exposure.  I am having a heck of a time here getting
foster homes that are ECE free.  And we all know that *anyone* can be
exposed and carry it back to their ferrets at any time.  Bob visits LOTS of
ferret people, I only hope he is VERY careful when he goes back to his own.
But in reality, he could take it back to them at any time.  Personally, I am
worried about the ones he picked up on his trip and is taking home with him,
how can he be certain they are *not* carriers of ECE.  I fear he may be
taking a big risk anytime he adopts another ferret.  ECE has changed
*everything* as far as just going out and getting a ferret these days.  We
cannot even be certain that those sold in pet store as kits are not
carriers.  MF claims to be ECE free, but do you really think that if (WHEN)
they are hit with ECE that they will put out a nationwide bulletin
proclaiming it, I won't hold my breath for that one.  So anyone with older
or ill ferrets, in my opinion, should think long and hard about these things
BEFORE they bring home a new ferret from any source.  They should also keep
their ferrets as protected from contact with other ferrets and ferret people
too, unless every precaution is taken.
 
As far as my personal feelings go, it bothers me to do a 'blind' adoption.
Shelter mom's and dad's are pretty protective of their 'kids'.  If Bob takes
her, and I cannot 'see' White Fang for myself, how can I be certain that she
is healthy and will be okay.  Yes, I know, Bob knows a great deal about
ferret health and that is not the question.  But remember, I WILL NOT even
adopt to anyone that is more than about 60 miles from me because **I want to
check up on things once in a while, and I want to visit the kids**.  If you
want to email me and tell me I am crazy don't bother, I know I am nuts, I
know I am over-protective, but that is how I am and I am the one that has to
be able to sleep at night and not worry about an adoptee that I cannot visit.
 
Please DO NOT think that I am saying anything against Bob at all.  Bob is
great!!  The concerns are only for the ferrets, White Fang and Bob's ferrets.
 
I welcome your comments on any of this.  I am more than willing to learn
something new or look at a different point of view from anyone, after all,
that is how we **learn**.
 
Kisses to the fuzzy kids---Trish
[Posted in FML issue 1666]