Just got a call from my vet about an hour ago.  He told me that little
Chewy didn't make it.  I just don't understand it at all.  Chewy was a new
rescue that we took in about 9 days ago.  He seemed pretty healthy for the
most part.  He played, ate, drank and used the bathroom until Thursday when
he started slacking off on drinking.  I put pedialyte in his water bottle
on Thursday and he started drinking again.  He looked dehydrated so off to
the vet we went.  His temp was a little low so the vet decided to keep him
for a few days.  The vet tubed him for fluids and food and put him on some
meds and a heating pad.  The vet then called me over the weekend and said
that Chewy was rehydrated and seemed in better shape, but they would have
to watch over him some more.  He said that Chewy had many masses and he
would need surgery as soon as he was better and stable.  We already knew he
was going to need the surgery soon.  Well then this morning I get up and
the phone rings.....it's the vet letting me know that Chewy died.
 
The part that bothers me is that everytime I take one of the ferrets to my
vet for something more than just a cold....the ferret dies.  I am beginning
to totally doubt this vet now.  I had one female rescue who came here in
heat die during her surgery with this vet.  Now Chewy dies.  The only two
ferrets that I have ever had that has had more than a cold has died.  If
it's a cold then the vet seems to be able to fix em' right up, but if it's
anything different then they die.  Does this sound right to anyone?  Am I
just being paranoid?  Is it just coincidence that two in a row have died?
 
Another thing that bothers me about this vet is that they don't even ask
for the ferret name or anything ever.  I just take in the ferret and then
the vet examines the ferret and says that he is going to keep this little
guy and tube him and call me later or something.  They never seem to care
enough to even want to know the ferret by name or anything.  They just call
them "ferret" and move on.  Plus if I bring in a ferret more then once they
can't even go back into their records of this certain ferret to see what
kinds of sickness this particular ferret has had before or what kinds of
treatments they have given him because they don't even know the name of
this guy.  I just thought I would run this by some of you wiser ferret
people out there and see what you think about this deal.  I however, think
that writing this letter has already convinced me to find a new vet.  There
is a vet across town that is suppose to be extremely terrific with ferrets,
but I was never able to get in to him because he requires that before he
will treat or see a sick or a healthy ferret they must first come in for
their shots and a vet check (totals over $45 for each ferret) and then when
they get sick I can take them to him.  Well to me that doesn't make a lot
of sense because I am a shelter/rescue and there are many times that the
ferret comes in here already sick and he won't treat them because they
didn't visit his office healthy first and get their check-up and shots.
Duh!  That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of.  Anyway I hope that
someone out there can give me some insight on this whole mess that might
help me make my decision.
 
Thanks.
Michelle
[Posted in FML issue 2874]