Dooks to everyone, and my condolences to all who ve lost their babies or
have ill ones.  Things have seemed to be just crazy lately around here,
but I just have to share a story with all of you.
 
The vets at the school remembered me saying that if they needed blood
donors or role models for students to learn with, I d see which of mine
wanted to work with them.  Well, a week ago Dr. Martin called and asked if
I d mind bringing in two of the kids, a boy and a girl.  So, playing Eenie
Meenie we decided Kit and Mookie could go to college.
 
Their big day arrived and I took them to Purdue, met e Dr. Martin and the
students in the Bull Pen along with all the other exotic animals for class.
Of course, Mookie just charmed everybody by being his big, cuddly nosey
self and Kit won them over with her Miss Priss attitude.  So they went to
class and I went to work.  Later in the day Dr. Martin called and said I
could come get them.  Everybody really had a blast with them, and she told
me Mookie had been held, examined and had a good time.  Only thing was, he
got tired of it and piddled on her!  They gave the two Ferretvite on tongue
depressors while they were doing the exams and when Mookie finished with
his he grabbed the stick and tried to run with it.  I guess they d fixed up
a lovely cage for them to stay in comfort in till the end of the work day
and Mookie trashed it by playing all through everything.
 
Well, yesterday these two got their distemper shots and while I thought
I d be able to hold them for the shots and leave them to be watched for
reactions, it just didn t happen.  I had students asking me to fill out
surveys on why I had ferrets for pets, and then I had to help the students.
It was fun to watch the one student because he was so nervous around the
fuzzies.  He kept asking-will they bite me and I told him these two
wouldn't.  They had to give them exams all over again and that was fun
thing to watch.  Dr. Martin came and pretreated Mookie and Kit with
Benadryl, and while that took effect everybody left the room.  Well, Mookie
and Kit got to explore and Mook found out how to climb in the chairs, got
Kit up there with him.  There was a 2-way mirror and I knew the one student
watched the exams through there, but I didn t know he was still there, and
Kit was having a blast trying to preen herself in that mirror, so he had a
good time I have no doubt watching them.  I discovered, in speaking with
the one student, that I m now known in the vet school as the Ferret Lady !
 
When Dr. Martin came in again Mookie ran over to her and got under her
dress, much to her amusement-she asked him if he was getting fresh with
her!  Just before their vaccinations she had to go get someone and Mookie
was tagging along with her, right out the door.  She saw him, bent down,
scooped him up and off they went together.  Well, just before their shots
the students tried to take their temps So here s Mookie, they ve got him
pinned, giving him Ferretvite on a tongue depressor, and trying to stick a
thermometer you-know-where.  The looks he was giving were priceless.  If
you ve seen Eddie Murphy in Dr. Doolittle, think of the dog in the exam
room as his temp is taken-that s all that was going through my mind!  Poor
Mookie, trying to pig out on ferretvite and escape a thermometer-he didn t
get the job done because he was too busy eating his ferretvite.  So, then
it was Kit s turn and trust me, they didn t get the job done.  Tiny, petite
Kit had this look that if looks could kill they d have been laying on the
floor with no movements to them.  So they finally gave up the thermometer
idea and then gave them their distemper shots.
 
Dr. Martin had a student watch them and I went back to work, and they did
just fine.  She told me they warm the vaccine before giving them the shot,
and she said by doing that so far (knock wood) there s been no problem with
reactions.
 
This morning as I was leaving for work Mookie was up and ready to go with
me.  Kit, on the other hand, opened one eye as if to say,  Touch me and you
ve been had lady !
 
When I was in the waiting room with them yesterday I had people coming over,
asking about them, I was showing them off.  Dr. Turek, who I adopted A.T.
and Domino from a couple of months ago was there and he was even petting
them. He s highly allergic to cats and was saying he d probably break out.
I told him a lot of people with cat allergies got along fine with ferrets.
People were listening and watching, so two of my kids became ferret
ambassors and did a great job.  While they were in the office with me
yesterday morning, one of our visiting authors/professors from Australia
came in.  I was giving him a hard time, telling him his next children s book
needed to be about ferrets.  He told me he had to experience them first, and
me being me, said well, get over here I can give you an experience!  He had
a look that was comical and then I told him I had two of the fuzzies with
me.  He was right at my desk then, and then he was holding Mookie and then
Kit, having a blast.  I told him before he goes back to Australia he ll
have to come over and experience the whole Crew.  Hopefully the next two I
take in when they need class help will uphold the tradition set by these
two!
 
Everybody have a wonderful 4th of July.
 
Rebecca & the Crew of Merry Mayhem
 Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste
good with ketchup
[Posted in FML issue 3099]