I feel like I am about to go mad!  This is the 5th pet (4th ferret), since
October 4th!  I just posted about 12 days ago about Mr Snickers dying and
now Puffin, my little albino female is gone also.  The vet has no idea as
to why she died, nor does he know why Mr Snickers died suddenly, nor Cody
nor BJ.  However, there are certain symptoms they all had in common and we
are suspecting some kind of poisoning perhaps??  Let me explain and maybe
some else can come up with some ideas we haven't.
 
BJ passed away October 4 and we think he had lymphoma although he showed
no signs previously of being ill at all.
 
Cody passed October 20..we don't know from what. He became weak in hind
quarters, disoriented at times, was put on pred for suspected insulinoma
(vet felt the symptoms warranted it) and within a few days he could not
walk, couldn't even stand, became anemic and jaundiced and was pooping
blackish stools. He died within a few days of being put on the pred.
 
Bingo, cat, Dec. 4, had an abcessed fang.  Was found to have severe
kidney damage when taken in for tooth although he had received a clean
bill of health not quite a year before when got his shots.
 
Mr Snickers, May 31, 2002, had adrenal, became blocked, was in hospital
for 4 days.  Was doing excellent till Memorial Day weekend..  Friday and
Saturday of that weekend, he was playing, running around, eating like a
hog, just being a little fool.  Sunday we went to take him out of cage to
clean litter box and he could not stand up, was listing to the right (head
and body), had pooped blackish, seemed somewhat disoriented and scared,
(wanted to stand up).  From that point on, he went off his food and water,
had to be force fed.  Vet had and has, no idea what happened.
 
Puffin, June 10, 2002.  Was 5 years old, had a tumor on back but vet said
not cancerous.  Could find no tumors inside upon exam nor any other health
problems.  She also had started to lose control of hindquarters a couple
days before death, to the point where she could not stand up, was pooping
blackish, went off food and water, displayed same signs as Cody, BJ, Mr
Snickers.  By time I got her into vet last night, since morning her nose,
gums, tips of ears had turned jaundice like.  She was also anemic he felt.
She was fine a few days before!  All of them were!
 
The only other symptom they ALL showed at some point, (not on a continuous
basis but off and on) was their pads turned bright cherry red off and on.
The vet did not know what caused this and still doesn't.  He thought
perhaps carbon monoxide poisoning although he knows of no studies on
ferrets and carbon monoxide.  I had the gas co.  out today and they said
water heater was not venting too well and fixed that but found nothing
else.  They said it would be difficult to find carbon monoxide since the
windows were open and it would dissipate the gas.  I asked the vet if it
could be something they are passing one to the other..he didn't think
so..he mentioned heliobacter but said the symptoms didn't fit.  I read up
on it last night and they don't.  Cody and Mr Snickers were both on pred
and he thought perhaps it was that but Puffin was not and never has been.
We are at a loss although we ALL feel that something is most definitely
going on.  It just isn't "normal" for 5 animals to die one right after
the other in such a short time..and most with the same symptoms.  Does
anybody have any other ideas??  I am so scared of losing my last 3
girls!!!  Oh, I also should mention that I myself have had alot of
unexplained symptoms which my Dr keeps chalking up to me being diabetic.
Bad headaches, not normal ones that go away with Tylenol or something,
unexplained and sudden dizziness and ringing in the ears, constant fatigue
no matter how much sleep i get, off again/on again nausea..a number of
things that I certainly never had with my diabetes before.  My personal
care aide told me that she usually develops a headache when she has been
here abit and it goes away when she is out of here for about 1/2 hour.
She also feels dizzy at times and off again/on again nausea.  She also
seems disoriented at times (since October), like she doesn't remember what
she's supposed to do.  That's odd too.  Obviously something is affecting
all of us but what?  If any of you could brainstorm and maybe think of
something that fits all this I'd sure appreciate it!  I'm going to be
moving in mid July and just hope I have my last 3 girls to move with!
 
Thank you also to all those who sent cards, condolences and information
regarding Mr Snickers death.  It was appreciated far more than you'll
ever know!
 
Gerry
Punkin ("I AM the matriarch"!!!)
Sweetpea (" huh??" ....she always seems perplexed!)
Hopkin (" I just LOVE being bad!! Aren't I SO cute??")
At the Bridge: BJ, Cody, Bingo (cat), Mr Snickers and Puffin.  I'm so
sorry guys.  I love you, I miss you.
[Posted in FML issue 3811]