I am just fed up with people.. frustrated and tired... disgusted with the
human race.... oh yeah and I am crabby right now too.  The shelter's vet
called me from home last night so we could sit and just go over the
evaluations and recommendations and not be interrupted.
 
Question.  If someone realizes something is wrong with the animal and does
not plan on taking it to a vet, why don't they do something, like turn
it into rescue THEN?  Why do they wait 6 months until the ferret is too
pitiful to look at before dumping it?  At least if we got them sooner,
they would have more of a chance!  Here's our current breakdown of rescues
(breakdown being the perfect word here since I feel like I am about to HAVE
one)
 
MEEKO - 2-3.  Came in malnourished.  Thin but gaining weight.  Will be
fine.
 
ESMERELDA - 4?  Adrenal surgery was a success.  She is plump, healthy and
has a full coat growing in.
 
SNOOPY - 6.  Adrenal, cancer, cataracts (about 80-90% blind), kidney and
liver dysfunction's.  Was fed cheap cat food all his life.  Not a candidate
for surgery.  Weight is okay but he will only eat dry food at all if I mix
treats in with it.
 
SASHA (came in with Snoopy) - 6.  Insulonmia, Adrenal, cancer, cataracts
(about 60-70% blind), kidney and liver dysfunction's.  Was fed cheap cat
food all her life.  Not a candidate for surgery.  Very thin, can not gain
weight no matter what we do.
 
HOPE - 5-6?  Adrenal gland disease.  Has had surgery but is not recovering
well.  Very thin.
 
CRICKET - 5.  Insulonmia, kidney and liver dysfunction's.  Fed cheap cat
food all her life.  Stable on meds but thin and weak.
 
HEIDI - 4-5?  Past unknown.  Kidney dysfunction's, will not eat regularly
on her own.
 
BABYDOLL - 5?  - Advanced Adrenal disease.  90% bald.  Thought she was a
candidate for surgery until yesterday.  The tumors (2) in her abdomen are
so large and vascular) that attempting to remove them would kill her.
 
ALL of these last 6 listed are pretty much beyond help.  Why?  Because of
their life long rotten care and mainly because their owners waited until
the diseases were already well advanced before they thought to *do*
anything with the ferret!
 
Look at Babydoll!  With the size of her tumors and all other factors, this
ferret has been sick at least 10 months.  If she had been taken to a vet
or turned into rescue 8 months ago, she would have been a candidate for
surgery and would be recovered and healthy by now!  But now??  Pretty much
the only damn thing we can do is make her comfortable and happy for
whatever time she has left.
 
A reminder to all.  If your ferret starts to *not act right*, lose weight,
lose hair... anything not normal.  PLEASE check in to it right away!  They
are such tiny animals that the damage becomes irreversible quickly!
 
No, I won't quit.  I can't... there is too many I DO save and place in a
loving home, that keeps me going.  But some days I get so tired of seeing
the ones dumped off beyond help... and all I can do is make their final
days comfortable and happy while I watch them die because of someone else's
neglect.  I know some of you shelter folks have been doing it for many
years more than I have.  How do you hang on to your sanity?
 
Susan
[Posted in FML issue 3087]