After nearly 6 years of licensed sheltering there is always one who pushes the limits and slips away. This seems to be so with Sterling.... Our week and a half old rescue / abandoned - stray Sterling needs some prayers. He has not responded to date to treatments etc. Sterling was found wandering the premises of a local nursery- digging at the black plastic in search of water. When he arrived at Ferret Wise a week ago last Monday at ferret Wise he was eating some kibble and drinking- he passed one normal stool and then went into decline . Sterling continues to decline and has gone down hill since then. Today he has a prolapsed rectum, will not fight amoxy, carafate or the 3 days dosing of panacur, but he won't even take nutrical. I am exasperated as one can imagine.Sterling will drink water though remains dehydrated -- so we start now the sub q fluids several times daily. Shelter Dad drive home at noon to assist with sub q fluids, we dared not wait. Sterling is pale and his slight yellow tone suggests a liver dysfunction, though in his condition the vet waived trying to draw blood at Monday's appointment. After 10 days not a single call to police, animal shelter or ferret shelter to report him missing-- clearly suggesting abandonment. I have tried to date 13 possible foods-- none of which he will eat.. so now I force duck soup through clenched jaws. Today the phone is answered by machine- I must work with Sterling, no consulting of behavior problems, no referrals for vet care today is for Sterling. Hospice homes will have to wait one more day for me to deal with our 23 hospice cases-- Sterling needs this time and the effort. Realistically-- a shelter can only handle so many of these in any given day-- the vet checked in by phone on her day off today-- if need be we will be back there again tomorrow-- I hope he gains the will to live and starts taking food-- changing residence at 3 plus years of age is a terribly painful things for pet ferrets--- as well as those of us who care for them. I hope owners and caretakers will ponder Sterlings fate-- when it is their turn for life to show them a choice of paths. For Sterling there is no choice- he was left behind. He did not ask to be purchased, did not ask for love and bonding, and certainly did not ask to be dumped on the roadside. Now Sterling needs to find the will to live without those he loved. I will fight this fight with Sterling -- but only for Sterling-- not those who broke his heart! alicia for the many faces of Ferret Wise who embrace Sterling visit our site and understand the mission: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html View the fund raiser catalog pages at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/funalia.html Visit iGive where a click can help us save a ferrets life http://www/iGive.com/ferretwise [Posted in FML issue 3097]