When reading Dr. William's section on "Feeding the Sick Ferret" at his
AFIP website, please, note that baby food can not be a sole or primary
food for terribly long (though it is better than nothing if a ferret is
actively dying and will eat nothing else) because it is not a balanced
diet just as straight flesh meat is not (Note that diets which involve
feeding carcasses make sure to include organ meats and more to get
minerals and so on.).
---
 
There are some EXCELLENT past vet explanations on why it is impossible to
pin-point a cause of death without having a necropsy WITH PATHOLOGY done.
These are excellent reading and important.  You can find them in
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
and
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
 
Many things can cause straining: tumors which are blocking, inflammation,
a diet that causes trouble for the intestines, an intestine which has
adjusted to too much laxative, foreign body causing blockage (probably
the most common, esp.  for those who have ingested a lot of fur or fake
fur/fleece, had access to rubber or latex, gotten a hold of erasers or
remote keys, eaten fabric, etc.), etc. etc. etc.
 
Heck, we even had one with multiple deformities and poor Scooter had an
ever growing, ever more flaccid stomach.  He had four corrective stomach
surgeries in his life (and two corrective hand surgeries), with the
stomach surgeries having to come closer and closer together as his
stomach got worse over time till finally it just shredded and he bled
out in my arms late one night while we had him in an ICU set-up.  The
only happy thing about that is that I have never heard of another ferret
with that same problem (though I know of two who had friable small
intestines).  (Yes, we knew he had deformities and would be a challenge
when we accepted him.)
---
 
Laurel, A lot of times all that any of us can do is to just try our best.
None of us is perfect so we have to learn and move on.  Over the 21 years
we've had ferrets in our family we've made a number of mistakes: some
because we didn't know better and some because the info wasn't out there,
yet.  I've gotten to be a stickler for reading up on things when there is
even a chance of them being present to be prepared beforehand.  It is a
constant learning experience.  After over 2 decades I still make mistakes
as folks will recall recently one time when Chiclet's fever got out of
control (and I am glad we got lucky despite the mistake even though we
finally did lose her because her infection went to her heart).  I've
found that one of the best ways to do better with health care the next
time is to NOT beat myself up.  if I forgive myself and learn then the
right ways stick better in my head.  Treating ferrets has done more for
teaching me to forgive myself in the last 21 years than about anything
else, and luckily the ferrets are better off for that, too.  Did you make
a mistake?  There is no way to know.  Perhaps your ferret had an advanced
intestinal tumor, perhaps not.  The only things that you can do are to
learn and keep on learning, and to keep traveling for vet care.  (BTW, we
have an hour's drive,too (and a half hour's drive for emergency care),
and we're in suburbs, but our vet is a truly fine ferret one -- though
the emergency vets are not and I had to argue with one to get the right
tests done on Ashling on Friday in the wee hours then praise him for
doing them...)
 
Learn, learn, read, read more, continue to learn, and know that none of
us is perfect and none of us ever can be.
[Posted in FML issue 4294]