Yesterday afternoon at 3:30 I got a call from Tina.  She called to say that
one of the ferrets was dead, but she wasn't sure which one.  I could hear
the panic in her voice and said I'd be right home.  Thank goodness my
co-workers are understanding.  As soon as I walked in I saw the ferret.  He
was laying on his back in the "sleeping ferret" position on the futon.  I
had to look very closely to determine who it was (Clyde and Cheyenne look
very much alike).  Tina has two ferrets (Cheyenne and Comanche) that live
with me because her husband said they stink.  In exchange, she comes now and
again and cleans the house and/or sits with the ferrets during the day while
I'm at work.  The ferret on the futon was Cheyenne.  We took Cheyenne to the
vet for a necropsy.  Unfortunately the necropsy told us nothing.  Every
organ looked fine, including the brain.  There was a hematoma on the top of
the head but that wasn't what caused his death.  A section of small
intestine was inflamed (ECE or just deterioration?) also.  Travis estimated
death was early afternoon.  So now we are waiting for the pathology report.
I'd noticed Cheyenne had not been as active but he was eating and
eliminating normally.  He loved the recipe and ALWAYS persuaded me to give
him "just a little more".  Tina said he was between 4-6 years old.  I'd only
been blessed with his addition to our home since March.  Such a short time
for him and Mugsy to share our lives.
 
The jury is still out on Kadie.  She is doing very well and Monday stools
were normal only to change back to cottage-cheesy-mucousy slightly formed
pea green diarrhea.  Her activity level is good and she eats about 30 cc's
of recipe at each feeding.  She's a squeaker.  I call her the ferret's
squeaky toy cause she is all the time squeaking and hissing at them.  They,
of course, think this is a fun toy.
 
Hugs. tle
[Posted in FML issue 1782]