Hi folks....
As BIG said, I have been VERY busy lately, so I haven't even been able to
read FML's lately and I am lucky if I can even scan the contents every 3
days or so. I have been helping a friend to move, on top of everything
else. (I am the ONLY help she has had in this.) The dust is still settling
here, and I have a hundred things to do today, so this will only be a brief
update because I know some are very concerned for Rikki and Boomer.
I took Rikki in for an ultrasound and possible surgery, but I am afraid the
news is not good. It seems that the original adrenal tumor that was removed
last May, right after she arrived at the shelter, had affected the
surrounding fat tissues, and though the adrenal gland and all of the visible
tumor were removed, all of it, or the affects of it, could not be seen or be
removed. She now has "metastatic disease" (not sure of the spelling) and it
has spread to her right kidney and her liver. The vet said surgery was
absolutely out of the question. It is too far advanced. The only option is
to treat with Lysodren (an oral medication) to slow down the growth of the
tumor, and buy her some time. I was very upset, I cried for hours, she is
only about 4 years old (previous owners not too specific about her age). At
least she does not seem to be suffering at all, in fact she has "perked up"
since the vet visit. She doesn't care for the Lysodren but only has to have
it every three days now. The vet says, at best, she may only have 4 to 5
months left. I am so sorry to have to tell you all of this. She is a
sweetheart. She is eating and drinking and pooping normally, so, like I
said, I don't think she is feeling any discomfort.
Her favorite toy is an "Evenflo" baby pacifier, and I have plenty of these
purchased and put aside for her to play with (they only last a few weeks,
as I don't let them get too chewed up in case pieces of them could be
swallowed). I have also recently learned that she ***LOVES*** the cat
treats called Pounce, the chicken flavor is what I have offered her. She
is a sweet, very docile, harmless little girl that would never even dream
of hurting me or nipping at all, but she acts like she would rip my hand
off to get one of the Pounce treats, I think it is great and she will get
plenty of them from now on. (She probably wouldn't really rip my hand off,
it is just that this is the first thing she has acted this way about, it is
so unlike her.)
Very good news on Boomer.... we did an Insulin test and it came back
"normal" so he DOES NOT have Insulinoma, though he does have low blood sugar
(hypoglycemia). There are several causes of hypoglycemia, Insulinoma is
only one. The vet sugggested that we check his Insulin every 6 months or
so, but at this point he says Boomer should have a NORMAL LIFE EXPECTANCY
but we need to remember that it is possible that he is in the beginning
stages of Insulinoma. For now we just need to make sure he eats as often as
possible (food is available for all ferrets on a continual basis) so I guess
I need to wake him up and make him eat, as he is a pretty sound sleeper
sometimes, and the vet says we should supplement with Nutrical frequently.
He is already spoiled rotten, I always feel so sorry for the ones that have
been ignored or neglected by their previous owners, and with him he was on
such a poor diet, it is even worse. Now he gets mainly Totally Ferret and
sometines I throw in a little of a few other kinds of high quality foods
just to give him more variety if he wants. He also loves his ears
scratched, and I do that almost daily, too.
Thanks to all of you wonderful ferret lovers out there and the FML, I have
received several offers of help for the shelter and they are all greatly
appreciated and could not be more 'needed' than they are right now. (I
think my outstanding vet bill is about $300 now. ) Two more little girls go
in for vet checks on Friday and may need surgery. (Will they ever all be
well at the same time again?) The meds are so high, too. For Rikki, my vet
cut the cost of the ultrasound in half to help out the shelter, but it was
still $73.00 and the Lysodren is pretty high, but one tablet is broken down
into a liquid and I am giving her a very small dose, it is supposed to last
46 days. The one pill and the compounding (getting it down to a small
enough dose for a ferret) cost came to $24.00, I guess since it will last so
long, that really isn't so bad. This special little girl is certainly worth
it. I am just so sad that she can't "be fixed as good as new". She is with
her 'sister' Emily and also with Cocoa Puff and Duchess and they are getting
along well. I feel for Emily and want her to have other 'friends' for when
Rikki is gone, so she will not grieve too much over her. They have been
together since they were very young. Emily is about 3 years old now.
A new arrival, Topanga, went in to be spayed and descented two weeks ago,
and all went well with that, but last Tuesday night I was up with her and
she was pretty sick, a trip to the vet Wednesday told us she has
Giardia...oh boy, <sigh> so she is quarantined and on meds, she is doing
well and I think the worst is over. I just hope I can keep the other 21
here from getting it.
Thanks again for all the support, the FMLers are truly a special group of
people and I am honored to be "acquainted" with all of you. I will have the
FERRET PROFILES up on the FML by the middle of the week, I promise!! I know
some are waiting to sponsor a fuzzy, and I feel so bad that this has been
put off, but sometimes it just can't be helped, after all I have had many to
'chauffer' back and forth to the vet, medications to give, cages to clean,
poop to scoop,....well, you know the routine... and my best friend has
needed alot of emotional and moral support lately, and she is important to
me, too. The vets I use are very understanding and they are simply
patiently waiting, and letting me pay out these bills as I am able to.
Huray for those wonderful and understanding vets!
Take care all.... and kisses to all the fuzzies.
Trish
Director, Ferrets First Rescue & Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 1531]
|
