Caution. Sad. sigh. Over the weekend Sharp-toothe started bleeding from her rectum. I called Larry and he suggested Carafate every 2 hours. I had her on Carafate and Pepto, alternating every other hour but we couldn't stop the bleeding. Her mouth had purple spots on the sides and on her tongue with a little bit of blood coming from her nose and mouth. She couldn't eat without trying to throw up so we were at just a few cc's every other hour. I was thinking gastric ulcer, possibly perforated. When we got to Larry's the diagnosis was much worse. Larry could feel a growth on her colon... Prognosis was poor and Larry said it was time.... I wasn't prepared.... I thought we'd be able to do something for her.... she was only 5 1/2.... my little dark sable canadian girl.... I didn't want her to suffer and since I couldn't get the blood stopped..... we let her go..... earlier in the day she'd been responding to my nursing a bit, she asked to be let out of the nursing cage and the sub-q helped her to be more comfortable... but I couldn't stop the bleeding.... Now I feel that I made the wrong decision... I should have kept trying... Oh god this is so painful... Sharp-toothe I'm so very sorry for your pain and if I made the wrong decision.... Skat and Capri were 2 that had heart ailments. Capri had quit eating completely and her skin was turning blue, for her we knew it was time. Skat was having such difficulty breathing and the Lasix was dehydrating him so much and he still had fluid around the heart... but he wanted to live... he'd walk to the kitchen, stopping every few steps and laying down... then he'd go to the cereal bowl (Marshmallow Mateys) and eat a bite, hang his head to rest, then eat another bite.... but he wasn't going to get better... his breathing was all that was keeping his heart going... it would stop, he'd breathe and it would start again.... we let him go too... With each death it gets more difficult and it hurts so much more. Lynda asked me if it made me want to stop and I said No, I'd never thought of stopping what I do. For me, there is no amount of personal pain that would make me turn my back on those ferrets that need me. Tears come more easily and it feels as if my heart is being torn apart for days at a time.... I ask again that in memory of our little ones that have left, please spend some extra special time with your little ones and give them a hug. Oh, and last night the plumbing clogged again causing the wash machine to flood the basement.... Hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart Ferret Family Services http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our charity http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=46&mid=58395 [Posted in FML issue 3197]