Razz had a major stroke this afternoon, and her prognosis is very poor.  It
is unlikely she will make it through the night.  At the moment she is
wrapped in a warm towel and sleeping on my chest, but her extremities are
cold and her attention (when awake) is very poor.  She cannot control her
bladder or bowels.  She has the death pant.
 
I have rehydrated her and given her some food, but she is not interested in
either.  There seems to be no doubt to the conclusion to this, only when.
 
I adopted Razz about 3 years ago and she is about 8 years old.  She is a
light chocolate sable from Marshall Farms, and her front claws where removed
by a former owner, a vet student at the time.  Her life with the other
ferrets was sometimes hard, because she lacked upper body strength to
compete well, a direct result of her loss of toenails.  When she got into
trouble, she would run to Foster or Buddy, who would protect her.  After
Buddy died and Foster got so old he couldn't help her much, she began
running to me, and I would hold the interloper so she would have a fighting
chance.  Lately, she has been protected by Stella and Nosette.
 
SInce I have owned her, she has never been seriously ill (excepting the
heliobactor infection about a years ago that nailed everyone).  She has no
sysmptoms of adrenal disease, and up to a week ago, was a normal happy
ferret.  In the last week, she had lost a great deal of her fat, but vet
visits could find no cause other than perhaps just being old and starting to
wind down.
 
I have been lucky to have her as long as I have.
 
Bob C and 21 MO Sofa Monkeys.
[Posted in FML issue 2070]