I only knew Robbie for a few short hours this past week. Our ferret
sitter, who was sitting for another person, called us in a panic and
said that it appeared Robbie had a possible bowel obstruction (our
sitter is a vet tech and is very good at diagnostics usually). We had
her bring the poor little guy over to us and my wife, an RN looked him
over. Tight, distended belly..and in obvious pain. Sluggish and eyes
half closed. Of course they always go bad after hours or on weekends,
don't they. We made a few calls including one to our vet who had no
staff to assist her if she came in, however she put us in touch with a
vet clinic in Tucson, about an hour's drive away that is open 24 hours
and is ferret literate.

With no time to lose, we jumped in the car and drove through the most
horrendous thunderstorm I've seen in years to deliver him to the kind
and caring hands of the Valley Vet Clinic. A quick workup showed that
he was a train wreck inside with multiple problems including a bowel
that would need a resect, bad adrenal, insulinoma and prostate/bladder
problems. They got an IV started and operated with good results that
night. He was stable but guarded.

Robbie held on mightily over the next 24 hours, but could not empty his
bladder without a cath, so the owner, who was in constant contact with
the vet, gave the OK to put him down. He was only 5-6 and a sweet
little guy. Please greet him as he comes across to have his full health
restored once again.

Here's to fins in the water, feathers in the aire and tails in the tall
summer grass.

Putorius and the current gang of 8.remembering Bubba, Bodie, Blizzard,
BonBon, Pal, Flower, Max, ABBA the dancing Queen and the rest of the
tribe over the bridge waiting for all of us one day.

[Posted in FML 6029]