Two people have written that I respect and enjoy reading on the FML, and
neither understood what I wrote yesterday.  I apologize.  I am working 12
hour days-and am burnt out badly.  I am short staffed yet busier than ever
in my business.
 
And Cat had escaped as I wrote by the window waiting for his return.  [He
is an old feral cat that was sick and starving that I captured.  He came
home early this morning.] I hope this makes sense to anyone that cares:
 
The e-mails I received from someone about a shelter had info whereas
a=name of business
b=name of person owning business
c=address
d=phone number of business and home.
 
d was nonexistent or unlisted, and neither a or b could be found to exist
in c : all according to two phone representatives from 2 different
companies.
 
Lists: About 4 years ago, I received a list of names of ferret wise vets
from a shelter.  The list was compiled by a major ferret association.  I
100% believed that list and took my ferrets to one of those vets to stay
while I was on vacation camping with the family.  I called everyday to see
how my guys were doing.  I was told they were great until the day before I
came home.  Then suddenly one was ill.
 
When I arrived to pick up my ferrets, they weighed about as much as they
did when I first got them.  They were dying and being poisoned with dog
medicine for diabetes, coughing badly, and Baby was bleeding internally.
All had ECE.  This recommended vet had said there was nothing wrong with
my ferrets except for Baby.
 
Yet when I rushed to Midwest Exotic Vets the next morning, they had the
records faxed over, and it turns out the ferrets were on dog meds.  One of
my ferrets had been shaved and had numerous cuts all over it.  They all had
ECE for over 6 months, and were never the same bouncy little guys they had
been again.
 
And as I left the vets office in Morton Grove, the vet told me that none of
the badly coughing ferrets were coughing.  She stood next to their carrier
and told me she could not hear the hacking coming from all ferrets!  A few
hours later, after she had just told me that my ferrets were not sick,
except for Baby, she called me to tell me at home to tell me the ferrets
needed surgery.  ????
 
Six months I had no life.  I changed my schedule to be home for lunch
losing 6 months of two hours a day of needed income.  I syringe fed,
syringe fed, and syringe fed.  I thought they were all going to die, so I
let them free roam.  The diarrhea from ECE squirted everywhere onto
everything.  I came home everyday believing that they would be dead.
 
Now they are dead.  NOW they are dead.  Those were my thoughts every day
for months driving home.  Because I 100% trusted a list of vets from a
major ferret group that I thought had been carefully researched- It cost my
ferrets their health.  It cost me over half a year of my life.
 
My whole point for writing was not to blame anyone or create any
disturbance.  I am sorry if I upset or confused anyone.  Rather, If just
One of you investigates something instead of simply trusting what you read:
if just One of you is able to prevent loss, fraud, injury, illness, or
death by taking the time to investigate:
 
The message I was Trying to convey will have done as it was intended.
 
I have 3 more 12 hour days, then I grab the herd and head for my brothers.
Happiest of Holidays: may they be safe and healthy
 
And once again, my apologies for my poor writing.
 
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 2873]