Hello Everyone,
 
I haven't posted in a long time, since before may.  A lot of people wrote
me about my ferret Taz-arina having a second surgery for an adrenal
tumor.  I received lost of information on medication, and lots of just
great advice.
 
Taz had the second surgery in May; however the doctors couldn't find the
tumor, or the adrenal gland itself.  The doctor said the tumor may have
taken over the funtion of the gland and the gland may have shrunk.
 
My husband and I had decided no more opperations.  Taz had gone through
enough.  We thought we would have at least a year with her.
 
Taz became irrated as time went on.  She only wanted to go outside for
walks.  I figured she was looking for a male ferret.  My husband and I
would alternate walks.  We took her for 4 walks a day.  Taz also became
more aggressive towards our other female ferret Jezzy.  Jezzy would cry
when Taz would come near, so we had to keep them in separate cages when
we were at work.  Jezzy doesn't defend herself well, and she shouldn't
have to.
 
This weekend I noticed when Taz would scratch herself I would see red
sores under her skin.  I read that a ferrets skin can get aggitated when
they have an adrenal tumor, and I thought that is what it was.  When we
got home from a trip to NY I called the vet because Taz wasn't herself.
She was sleeping too much, and she seemed off balance.  I also noticed
she had black, tar like poop.  I knew she was bleeding internally.
 
The vet said she could have a bleeding ulcer because of all the stress
she was under, and she would call in some meds to my pharmacy.  Today,
she was still not herself, so I took her in.  The vet said it was either
poison, or her blood wasn't clotting due to either the tumor being
cancerous and spreading or something else.  I know it wasn't poison.  Taz
only eats ferret food, or chicken baby food.  She doesn't like any ferret
treats, or human food.  She told me to take Taz to UPenn.  I asked her
what they would do to her.  When she started listing all the procedures:
transfusions, bloodwork, surgery, and there wasn't a gurantee because she
was so weak, I made the most heart renching decision I have ever had to
make.  I decided to put her to sleep.  I wanted someone who loved my pet
as much as I did to put her to sleep.  I didn't want it to be in some
cold hospital, w/ a doctor none of us knew.  Taz was my first pet since I
was 5 yrs old.  I am 30 now, and she has been w/ me for 5 yrs.  We got
Jezzy two months after Taz, so she could have company when we were at
work.
 
I didn't want to put Taz through anything else.  She wasn't really
enjoying life.  She would sit at the apt door waiting to be taken out.
She would sit there for hours, eat, poop, and go back to the door.  If it
rained my husband and I felt terrible, because we didn't want to take her
out in the weather, and she would really suffer.  She would sigh, and
plop down on the rug, or dig at it to get out.  She wouldn't play w/ any
of us includding Jezzy.
 
My husband and I took her outside the vet's office and sat w/ her on a
bench near a pond.  She loves outside, and I wanted that to be one of her
last memories.  My husband sat in the car and cried, while I took her
back inside.  We have been together as a couple or 8 yrs.  I have never
seen him cry like that.  I stayed w/Taz.  I sang to her, held her, and
pet her until the end.
 
Now I need help.  I have been on tons of websites, and I cant find an
urn I like.  Personally, I think most of the ferret ones are ugly.  The
ferret figure they put on top looks more like an otter than a ferret.
If anyone knows of a website, or a place in New Jersey where I can get
something nice (what is really nice about it I don't know) please let me
know.  You can post if or email me.
 
Taz was beautiful, and yes all parrents think there child/pet is the
best.  I can't lay her to rest in something I don't think fits her.
 
In all the years (about 5) I have gotten the FML I always skip the posts
about people who have lost their pets.  I would cry too much.  Now I wish
I had read them.  Maybe someone needed advice like I do, or just to talk.
Anyway, it might have helped me see what I would be going through.  Sorry
for writing a book.  I really have no one else to talk to.  No one sees
my pets as valid, so they won't understand my grief.  If I had lost a dog
or cat, they would understand more than a rodent (I have explained till I
am blue in the face that they are not rodents)
 
Jezzy keeps looking for Taz, and it is killing me.  I want to get another
ferret, but my husband said no.  He cant take it.  Should I leave Taz's
blanket for Jezzy, or should I pack away the stuff so she can't smell
her?  I don't know what would be best.  I don't know how she is going to
deal w/ being the only ferret in the family.  Please give me some advice
on how to help Jezzy through this.
 
Thank you for your continued help over the years.
 
Kalaine Tarantelli
[Posted in FML issue 4265]