For those that don't like gory details, then please feel free to skip the
post.
 
Yesterday, at an age when they're almost fully weaned, and learning to
wrestle like heathens, I checked on my kits and their mother just before I
went out for a few hours.  They were all happy, playing and some chomping
away at their dinner.
 
A few hours later I got home with more food (they eat constantly at this
age!) and started to put all the kits in with the food.  Picked up the
little runty boy who was sleeping on his back under the covers and he had
died :o(
 
All I'd seen of him was his upper body, little head back and paws relaxed,
when I moved him, he was cool to the touch, and obviously had only recently
died (very flexible still).  His belly was severely bloated, and rectum had
been pushed out of his body several inches :o(
 
I called the vet, who left a message with the vet on call.  It was the only
vet in my clinic who does not like ferrets :o( After half an hour, with no
call, I called the after hours service back.  Ten minutes later, still no
call.  Called them back, and the after hours service got through to a vet
not on call, who actually liked the little guys.  I told her what the
little guy looked like and her first impression was a twisted intestine.
 
The next morning the vet who was paged several times overnight finally
called, and was informed that we'd already been contacted.  I took the rest
of the kits and the little guy to another vet today.  The little guy for an
autopsy and the kits for their first vaccination and a checkup.  All of the
kits were pronounced healthy, and the autopsy showed a condition called
"intersusception" which the vet explained to me as the bowel telescoping
into itself, creating a blockage.  She said that he would have died of
shock, which I guess is one blessing.  From my understanding, shock can
deaden pain to an extent, so not only was this fast, but also less painful
than it could have been.
 
This little fighter did well to have survived his birth and first few days,
considering his vastly smaller size.  He survived all the way up to
weaning, which gave him six weeks of life where many times I was sure he
wouldn't survive past the first few days.  Now, that little fighter is
gone, and leaving a part of himself for me.  His five sisters and brother
are all doing well, and playing hard.  His mama refused to believe he had
passed, putting him in her little ferret tent so he was under cover :o(
Luckily, since he was removed from the area she settled down with the
others quickly.
 
Hugs to all the fuzzies out there, and thoughts to those who are lost.
 
Sam
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To see some awesome ferret cards, drop in on
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~fanmail/cards/ferretcard.htm
[Posted in FML issue 2556]