My poor, sweet, little old Sadie just couldn't hold out any longer
against adrenal (and the vet suspected a lot more), and she waited for
me to leave work and get to the vet's before we both decided it was time
for her to go Home.....
 
I got Sadie about 4 mos.  ago from a former friend (long story, not
related to ferrets) who cared about her, but not really 'for' her - never
took her to a vet, could only feed her cat food, never let her out much,
etc., and she had had Sadie for at least 2 years.  She was moving to a
newer trailer, and didn't want to have to take Sadie and the 'mess'... I
gladly took her, but at age at least 7+, she was already showing signs of
adrenal with a grossly swollen vulva.  I took her to the vet immediately,
who did blood work, and said she needed to be built up before surgery.
We put her on Prednisolone , and a couple other things, but she mainly
stayed the same.  Do to job cutback for about 2 months, I never could get
her to the point of being ready for surgery, but she was still happy
rambling around after me.  Poor little girl was almost blind, and only
one of my ferrets would be nice to her and not bite her.  I fed her the
right food, and loved her immensely, and it hurts so much to even write,
my eyes are filling faster than I can type.  The last few days it became
apparent that life was just becomng too much for Sadie - she still took
her meds ok for me, but ate less, slept a whole lot more, and seemed to
be having a hard time with her back legs.  I took her to the vets Tues
am, they did blood work, and found her sugar was way too low at 30
(should be about 100).  I had found her so limp, I thought she was dying
in my hands.... They gave her some glucose and she picked right up, but
it was obvious she needed to stay with them.  She was still ok last
night, but this am, after being on an IV all night, there was no
improvement, and when I called at lunch they said her sugar had slipped
to 25 even with the IV drip.
 
I'd like to think she waited for me to get to her, but when they brought
her to me,and she barely perked up enough to know I was there - God, I
hope she heard me tell her I loved her, and that I was so so sorry, and
that it was ok to let go....... Dr. Fox came in a few minutes later, and
helped my poor sweet, blind baby over the Bridge.......
 
Sandee, please watch for little Sadie, she is a pretty, small sable
ferret, and she never got to eat raisins or Cherrios or occcasional
pieces of cantaloupe because of her illness.  She sure loved her Linatone
and Pet Tinic, though, so please show her where to find them.  The only
ferret she will know is Weezie, my former-friend's other ferret, who died
a few months ago, totally bald, from adrenal.  Sadie and Weezie were cage
mates, and I know she will be so happy to see her.
 
Please, Sandee, tell her that her mommy loved her so much, and that I am
so very sorry I couldn't make her short time with me last longer, and
that I miss her with all my heart.  My other ferrets have been strangely
quiet tonight, so I guess they know something is very wrong with their
mommy.  Tell Sadie that I am so glad she feels good again, that she can
see and run and play and burrow in blanket piles and tunnel under
newspapers and steal anything rubber to her heart's delight.  Please make
her feel at home, and tell her that her mommy loves her and misses her,
and knows that she will love new wings!!
 
Goodnight my sweet precious baby, enjoy your new life in Heaven!
 
And many huggs to you, Sandee, for all the help your give our departed
Furr-Angels, and many more huggs to your Human who helps provide our
breaking hearts some comfort....
 
Jane and Rikki, FiFi, and BeBe and missing terribly my departed
Furr-Angel, Sadie
[Posted in FML issue 4218]