My computer and I are still recovering after a major computer crash
involving a screwdriver and NT... I'm only 110 emails or so behind, and
hoping to catch up some time this year.  Apologies to those who have
emailed me in the past few weeks and haven't yet received a reply.  Some
mail may have disappeared, others are just in the waiting list while I
attempt to catch up.
 
Sunday evening I went out of town so that I could attend a seminar which
started early Monday.  Just before the seminar started I got a phone call
from my local SPCA.  Two ferrets had been dumped outside their doorstep.
They were standing in a tiny carrier which was filled with urine and poop.
They'd been standing in their own urine for so long their feet are burned.
The SPCA commented that their feet were so raw they were bleeding.
Thankfully, the bleeding has now stopped, although there is some ulceration
on the feet.
 
They had a food bowl in the cage, but it was empty, and from the way the
ferrets went for their food and water it had been empty for some time.
Both ferrets are skinny, although thankfully not emaciated.  They both
smell to high heaven from having lived amongst their own faeces for so
long.  The SPCA person commented this evening (she's asked for updates)
that she now wished she'd taken photos of when they were in the carrier,
but their first priority was to get those poor ferrets *out* of there.
 
The SPCA vet looked at them this afternoon, and pronounced them healthy
except for the burns and signs of starvation.  Lots of food and TLC should
have them right as rain in no time.  Tonight, these two (both girls,
although at first I didn't look and thought the SPCA vet may actually know
how to sex a ferret - which was disproved when they thought one was a boy)
had a manadatory bath and some mild disinfectant for their feet, then
liberal smothering of a pain-killing antiseptic cream (thank heavens for
after hours chemists!) last night.  Today my vet came over to give them a
more thorough checkup, and gave me some antibiotic cream (and some other
stuff) for their feet.  Both ferrets are small, both are obviously in some
pain, although they're walking better now than they were.  They are both
very quiet and the larger girl already seems bound and determined to get
her way.  She tries to climb out of the cage using my arm as a ramp - even
though her paws aren't in good condition.  They're both around a year of
age, solid white teeth, but very adult faces.  So far, I haven't given
them names.  They're both sable points, and considering what they've been
through, they're behaving beautifully.
 
The ferret shelter south of me has a waiting list of potential adoptees.
Once their feet are healed and they've put on some weight, I'll be sending
them down there to meet up with their new homes.
 
Sam
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For those ferrets and owners that need our help...
visit Ferrets In Need! at
http://www.ferretfans.net/
[Posted in FML issue 2832]