First off my name is Nicole and I own a rescue in Charlotte MI. As of
last wed we had 15 ferrets 2 of whom were my own personal and I have
been thru hell and back and to hell again today and need answers this
waiting game is KILLING me inside I cant sleep I cant eat and I know
you are all saying welcome to the world of rescue but heres my story,

So last wed night I went to let my last cage of ferrets out to play
since they don't all get along together so I have to do it is sessions.
I opened the door and out comes Rusty and Spot but no pork chop (who
is my biggest fattest baby 4.5 lbs I just love this little big man)

So I see he is in the upper level so I awake him and he TRYS to get to
e but is covered in fecal and cant walk WHAT? 

What is going on.............

I bring him upstairs with me(BTW my rescue is in my basement which is
finished and 1200 square feet the baby's have lots of room to play)
so any way I call the vet it is 9 PM mind you she did not answer but
called me right back and said get him on heating pad and keep him
comfortable over night and bring him in in the morning. 


So I called first thing and got him in at 10 am. On the way there he
was laying in my lap looking up at me and gasping for air his look was
of fear he looked as if he was saying" Help me momma I am scared" He
had me in tears all night and then again poor little angel. We got
there she showed me how to do a IV on him and wanted to know if she
could keep him and put him in a warmer and give him IV meds I agreed
and told him I will see you later...... ....she also gave me IVs to
bring him because now spooky and spot (spot is pork's brother) were
acting ill ok I have heard of testing someone but come on how much
can one person handle.??

So I come home and bleach every thing I mean every thing, cages,
blankets toys food and water dishes, playpen, tubes and tunnels.

I was also sent home with meds for each ferret for the next 9 days
since they all seemed to have a parasite. I had to take in a sample
from every liter box to try and answer some questions. 

Ok so I go and get the kids from school and I get the dreaded call,
pork had just crossed over his little ferret bridge and is going home
to get his wings! 

I will miss him dearly I had bonded with him a ton since rescuing him
on July 4th. from another rescue that closed down because of personal
reasons.

Ok so the vet wants to do a autopsy I agree and she calls me at 5 PM
and says I am in shock It was not what I thought it was, I THINK IT
MIGHT BE ADV!

I said WHAT??? 

"So what you are telling me is ALL the other 14 I own are gonna die?"
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? This is a SICK SICK very mean and evil joke how
can anyone take so many baby's at once from someone?

I am crushed, I am broken, I am livid and sick from this. So as of
today Monday am Spot is doing a BIT better I have made up a mix of
chicken breast cooked and blended into MUSH and added there kibble
boiled and mushed and a bottle of pedialyte mixed it all together and
have been feeding him this along with his meds and Ivs 3 x's a day. 

He is ready to try and get out when I open the cage so this is a good
sign, spooky on the other hand is not doing so well he is going potty
on him self and lays in it and drools all over himself and so on, I
feel for him and I am going to talk to the vet today about helping him
to cross the bridge I can NOT stand seeing him suffer. These two are
upstairs with me in the game room and the rest are down stairs still.

I still let them out daily but I have to bleach every thing after they
have touched it to not cross contaminate, 2 loads a day in laundry and
cages and litter boxes and food and water bottles and toys and on and
on it has been taking me 3-4 hours a day EVERY day to get them done but
they are my rescue and my baby's I will do it as long as I have to!

UPDATE as of 8:30 PM
This morning after I blogged this email I got a phone call from the vet
and she asked how we were doing today and while talking to her I walked
in and checked on the boys again and noticed spot was shaking but just
a bit and then again and again and now faster and worse so I asked her
about it and she said just bring him and spooky in so one she could
check him and 2 she could get a blood sample for a ADV test for them
also, I changed fast and put spooky in the travel cage and off we went
spot was scaring me to death I held him all the way there he did it
again on the way to the vet this time it took over on his bowels all
over me but I don't care as long as I can hold him thru these. We got
there she left surg to come and see us and do samples and spot passed
there in the office wrapped in his blanket in my arms. And Dr Hinkle
and I spoke more and decided it was best to not make spooky suffer
I COULD NOT SEE another one go thru so much pain so she gave him a
injection in his tummy she said it is easier and less painful then the
ones in there veins he also passed in my arms covered in my tears but
in my arms, this is 3 since Thursday so my post is to ask your thoughts
do you think ADV also or something else? Our test results will be back
around THURSDAY to dang long for my liking!

Also no fever any any of them, spot had a enlarged spleen. Pork had
Lesions on his kidneys, I have not heard of the necropsy on the last
two yet. Thanks for listening and any advice or thoughts would be
WELCOMED........

PS I am supposed to take my daughter to the ferret show in GR MI in
Oct can I still go to this?

I will update more later!

Nicole in MI

[Posted in FML 6102]