I was trying to wait for this until I felt better but its been almost 3
weeks........at least some days are better than others.  I helped Loopy
across the bridge Monday the 24th.
 
She was diagnosed with insulinoma in December and was on chicken gravy
and pretty pets natural gold food and pred 2x a day.  She was doing well
on the food and hadnt shown any bad signs.  I was hand feeding her though
because I found she wouldnt eat from the bowl if I just put it in her
cage.  She would eat liberally from my lap however and that was fine
with me.  Se had an ulcer in January but we made it through the horrible
medications.  She had a checkup in March and we skipped her immunizations
(for the first time in her life) because the vet felt "that was the least
of her worries".
 
About 2 weeks before "the day" she started being finicky with her food.
Being not very hungry at a meal never bothered me because she always made
it up at the next meal.  But she started where I couldnt get her to eat
but a few laps at all her meals.  I took her back to the vets and we
started her on ulcer regimen again.  Her appetite still did not pick up
and because she wasnt eating her soup I couldnt get her to take her pred
(which I mixed in her food).  I was very scared because I witnessed late
stage effects of Insulinoma in Biggie and it was ugly.  He had seizures.
They were treated but later he crashed again and was so out of it I could
do nothing but have him put to sleep.  Anyway, I took Loopy back to the
vet and as I had suspected she lost weight.  I did not want to force feed
her and although we discussed a feeding tube the vet didnt feel it was
going to help Loopy.  She also had very large lumps in her neck and her
front and back legs.  So I did what I felt was right and had her put to
sleep.  I had a necropsy done and wont know total results for a little
while.  She had a very large tumor inside that the vet tech described as
"something I havent seen in a very long time".  I am really anxious for
the test results.
 
To make things worse Loopy was the last of her "business" and I feel her
dying puts the other 7 that much farther from me.  I know that makes no
damn sense.  She was the ferret I had the longest and although she was a
MF ferret and thus never had the first baby she was like the mother to
them all.  She was a sable with a spotted nose and although she was blind
and in her later time didnt move around alot she had perfect litter pan
manners.  She never bit me and was famous for giving kisses.  She had a
plastic spider squeaky that no matter where she was in the house if I
squeezed it she would come and then I would let her bite it one time
(while I was holding it) because it was rubber.  She loved peanut butter
and (before Insulinoma) raisins.
 
I miss her and I miss taking care of her.
 
I also wanted to comment on how much I loved and enjoyed all the comments
and responses everyone gave to Victor concerning the "nightmares" of
ferret ownership.  The passion of the people on this list is astonishing.
I was still very raw with Loopy and to see that others feel so strongly
as well validates why I do this.  My heart gets trampled but then I am
revived with the joy they bring me.  I am obsessed.
 
Hi!  My name is Rita and I'm a ferret addict.
 
Rita B.
 
Loopy joins Nomad, Scooter, Odie, Snow, Bootsie, Vada, Sassy, Teddy, Rose
and Biggie.
Leaves behind to carry on: Wolfgang, Chewbacca, Dixie, Hobart, and Edward
Scissorhands.
[Posted in FML issue 4536]