Today has been a very interesting day!
 
I just found out that
a) I can pay the vet because we were just approved for a small amount
of rental assistance from FEMA (the last batch they are awarding for
Katrina) so that frees up my next couple of paychecks for other thigngs
(namely the vet bill), and
b) Dustbin didn't die of a blockage after all.
 
Maybe that would be why he didn't show symptoms of one.
 
The vet did a necropsy and found that Dustbin had a hardened valve, I
think between the stomach and intestine (my husband talked to the vet
and all he really remembers is that there was a valve that was hardened.)
The vet said that even if we had taken him in a month ago there wasn't
much that could have been done.  The stomach had filled with gas and the
intestine has twisted, similar to a ferret that has an obstruction that
will not pass.  I should be grateful that poor Dustbin suffered only a
few days and that he played up until the day he died.
 
I have never heard of this particular ailment before.  I hope it wasn't
what I was feeding him (Totally Ferret sometimes mixed or alternated with
Zupreem and/or L'Avian, and Iams kitten when we're absolutely desperate).
 
At least it puts an end to the mystery and we can try and move on to
fondly remembering our pet when he was happy and having a good time,
which he almost always was.  He even smiled in his sleep.  He was never
sick a day until two weeks ago.  I certainly prefer to think of him as
being the big furry albino boy who was always here for the party!
 
I also wanted to thank everyone again for all their support and help
during the past couple of days.  I know Dustbin appreciates it, too.
 
-Christine (and Mab and Dustbin)
[Posted in FML issue 5162]