Because sometimes the bond with a ferret is more like that with a child.
 
Because sometimes the ferret starts to get sick very early in its life,
like at age 3, when their normal lifespan is 6 to 8 years
 
Because sometimes the ferret gets sick and you don't even know what's wrong
until you've already spent 7 or 8 hundred dollars
 
For Example, a ferret once had really enlarged lymph nodes, and wasn't
otherwise "sick".
 * intital biopsy of enlarged lymph node - $220
 * followup blood work because lymph node came back noncancerous - $280
   for 2 sets
 * set of X-rays - $120
 * ultrasound because the bloodwork was not conclusive of a diagnosis - $275
 * adrenal surgery, which she had an excellent chance of recovering from
   and living another 2 ok 3 years after - $280
 * cremation after unexpected death due to liver failure - $50.
 
I suppose you would say that I should have put her down, and earlier,
before I spent all that money.  But when?  and why?  she was very happy -
spent lots of time with me on the couch, snarfed down Lucky Charms and Duck
Soup every day, woke me up in the morning with kisses, and played with her
other ferret friends (until the last month).  Where can *you* look at this
scenario and draw the line, and say that she *should* have been put down?
 
She may not have enjoyed all the medical procedures, but parents often take
their children to the doctor and the children don't like it.  But for human
parents, it's taken for granted that they will do every thing they can to
ensure a long life for their children.  I had every reason to believe that
she would recover and life her life happily.
 
I really don't know what else to say to somebody who would (I assume) be
willing to put down a young, happy ferret because it has some undiagnosed
medical problem.  Because whether or not you realize it, that is the case
with these "thousand dollar ferrets" more often than not.  Maybe you just
haven't had the fortune to be loved by a truly special ferret.
 
Melissa
Mishka & Buttons (Tasha, Nookie, and Bailey in heaven)
[Posted in FML issue 2803]