My ferret Linus just turned 8 years old, and his short history: he is on
immuram, octagol, diazoxide.  He has IBD, diagnosed 3 1/2 years, recent
high insulin output (no tumors at time of surgery) hence the diazoxide.
Since this last diagnosis, about 6 months, his energy level has gone
downhill.  It was a gradual thing, but basically he hasn't played since
November.  Up to 2 weeks ago he was eating, drinking, pooping, peeing,
sleeping, etc., basically maintaining himself but not playing.  He would
come out of the cage and "wander", w/i 20 minutes he'd find a place to
sleep.  He had a terrible low-blood sugar episode last weekend.  He
appears to be restored to his pre-episode energy level, but he is not
eating on his own.  I mean he is not eating wet food.  He ate some,
briefly, for 2 or 3 days last week but now he doesn't seem to want it.
He hasn't touched his "crunchies" since his episode.  So I am feeding
him every 3 to 4 hours, I try to stretch it out several times a day
and then offer him wet food -- he must be hungry, right?  -- but he
doesn't want it.
 
So, I am asking if anyone has any idea about when it is time to let a
ferret go?  I know I have been medicating him for years, artificially
extending his life, but is there a time when they get tired, so to speak,
of the effort?  He just doesn't do anything anymore, he doesn't play, he
doesn't eat, drink (though that's probably because he's getting enough
water in his wet food), only this last weekend did he finally get himself
into the litter box, at least half the time.  He doesn't seem very happy
about my syringe-feeding him, either.  And, Ralph, he cagemate, has come
down and slept with him several times in the last couple days.  Ralph is
addicted to his hammocks, and since Linus is a sleepy-sack kind of guy,
they basically don't sleep together (they are not original cagemates).
 
I just don't know what to do.  He doesn't look happy, to me.  He has been
on antibiotics for a week, they perked him up in the beginning but now
he seems to have plateaued.  The vet told me last week his spleen is
enlarged but it feels funny, lumpy, maybe something is going on there.
 
If anyone has any advice, I would really really appreciate it!
 
thanks,
Minta & Linus
[Posted in FML issue 4112]