In the three years we've been operating as a rescue we've seen a lot of
things.  We've taken in healthy ferrets, sick ferrets, neglected and
rejected ferrets.  Biters, nippers, and even lovers, but until recently we
had no real experience with abuse.  In the last month we have received more
cases than I hope to ever see again.
 
Enter Tasha:  Edmonton, turned in by a lady who claims to have taken the
ferret from another home.  This woman kept Tasha for a week before
contacting us.  Within minutes of arrival she is on her way to the vets.
Weight 300 grams, cannot walk, cannot eat or drink, no hair except on head.
She is a skeleton with skin. You could see every bone in her tiny body.
Diagnosis:  Emaciated, dehydrated, malnourished, anemic and possible
adrenal.  Outlook: Guarded.  Recovery possible if she can be stabilized.
After being rehydrated we bring her home and one of our members spends the
next 72 hours feeding via dropper duck soup and water every two hours.
Day 1: She's eating well.  Day 2: Still eating well and tottering around
the cage.  Day 3: Wants out!  Eating dry food on her own.  Day 4: Slight
decrease in amount of food being consumed.  Day 5: Stops eating dry food,
won't accept duck soup.  Not a good sign so back to the vets we go.  Blood
test done.  Kidney's shutting down.  Dehydrated again.  Tasha is helped to
the Bridge on vets recommendation.  Post Mortem: One kidney shut down, the
other close to it.  Left adrenal tumor, enlarged heart.  Cause of death
most likely due from malnutrition.
 
Enter Coco - Calgary, turned in by a lady who claims to have found her in
the park.  Straight she goes to the emergency clinic. Weight 484 grams,
Same symptoms as above plus a swollen vulva, yellow looking skin (jaundice),
no control over her bodily functions and she cries while defecating.
Emergency rehydrates her, does blood tests, fecal tests, urine tests etc.
Next morning we transport her to one of our shelter vets.  Diagnosis: "The
best thing you can do for her is to let her go".  Blood tests show she is
severely anemic, has liver damage and kidney damage.  We let her go.
 
Enter George - This fellow at least has a happy ending.  We get a call from
the City Pound.  Can you tell us how to ID a ferret with a metal tag # 574
in it's ear?  "Well No!  I've never seen or heard or a ferret with a tag in
it's ear, is it altered?".  "We don't know".  "Is it male or female?".
"We don't know".  "Does it smell a lot?".  "We haven't gotten that close".
"What is it's temperament like?".  "We don't know we haven't touched it".
"Well if you can't track the owner we'd be happy to place it in our foster
program".  "Okay come and get it".  Turns out HE is a beautiful sable male,
neutered in good health but surprise, surprise when we go to look at his
teeth for an age estimate....NO FANGS!  They have been pulled out!  Both
top and bottom.  A male sable, neutered ferret with a metal tag in his ear
and no fangs.  We'll run an add in the lost and found and pray no one
claims him.  I might get mean if they do.
 
Sandee...please tell Coco and Tasha we're sorry we couldn't help but we
hope they have found happiness at the bridge and I will personally come
to collect them when my time comes.
 
Barb Gustafson
Alberta Ferret Society
President
[Posted in FML issue 3042]