My Molly B., who I adopted January 2001, has been showing early signs of
adrenal disease.  She has been to the vet for a check up, an xray (which
showed an enlarged heart) and is scheduled for an ultrasound on the 4/23
to determine the status of the heart and adrenal tumors.  This is the
first ferret in my family of 6 who has become ill with one of the dreaded
ferret diseases, so we are going through a learning experience here.
 
Some days she just doesn't feel up to getting up and playing with her 5
cagemates, so she lays in her sleep sack and watches.  She is eating well,
drinking well and pooping well, but just doesn't seem to have the energy
that she should have.
 
Well, the other day I took Duchess, first and alpha ferret, and held her
close to me and asked her to keep an eye on Molly.  I told her that Molly
isn't feeling well these days and she needs a best ferret friend to
snuggle with and to keep her company.  So, I asked her to spend more time
with Molly and let her know that she is very much loved and that we are
doing all we can to give her the right treatment for her illness.
 
Now, you would think that this is silly and, of course, we all know that
animals don't know what we are saying to them.  They just know by the tone
of our voice when we are happy, angry or sad.  Well, now I wonder.....
because last night, when I was putting the ferrets in their cage for the
night, I couldn't find Duchess.  I just figured that she had gone to one
of her secret spots to sleep and that she would be fine until the morning.
This morning, I opened the cage and out came 4 bounding ferrets ready to
trash the house.  Molly was in her sleep sack and she had that look that
says "I think I'll just rest a little longer, thank you."  Now I go to the
spots that Duchess might have gone to during the night and she is no where
to be found.  I start to panic and think that I should have checked on her
last night and maybe she is caught somewhere or is injured or...... So, I
run to the toy box and get the squeaky toy that I use to call the ferrets
and go back to the bedroom first and give it two squeaks.  I look all
around to see her come running and as I turn towards the cage, her little
face pokes out from the sleep sack where she has spent the night with
Molly.  She is looking at me like "What's wrong, Mom?  I'm here with
Molly, just like you asked me."  Is there no end to the wonders of these
unique little creatures?  What special gift has God given them that they
can understand everything we say to them?  Are their hearts so pure that
they can understand our needs?  I might not know the answers to these
questions until I reach Heaven at which time they will be revealed to me,
but in the meantime, I give thanks for the opportunity of knowing and
loving these wonderful little animals.
 
Phyllis
Mom to Duchess, Tobey, Tyler, Jenny, Molly B and Joshua (still the Demon
Child)
[Posted in FML issue 3759]