Amber Patterson <[log in to unmask] wrote: >This "vet" gave him the injection in his abdomen.. thinking the "vet" >knew what he was doing I didn't think anything of it. I bought my baby >home to bury him next to his other ferret friends and his kitten. I had >to go to work, so I left him in a box wrapped in his favorite blanket (my >favorite shirt.) I got home 8 hours later.. and he was out of the box.. >breathing. Needless to say I was hysterical. He died in my arms about >half an hour later. My mom tells me he was just waiting for me to come >home to say goodbye. Hi Amber, I know how much losing one of these little guys hurts. I lost my first ferret, Gidget, just a year ago, on 3/25/01, followed by Teddy on 10/2/01 and BJ on 12/20/01. It never gets any easier. I euthanized all three to end their suffering. All three were given an injection in their belly and all three passed peacefully within 5 minutes on my lap. I go to a very experienced ferret vet, too. I had another ferret euthanized several years ago, and that vet injected it directly into her heart. Based upon that experience, I think that the belly injection is the best choice of the two. I don't understand why your little guy was still alive 8 hours later. Maybe the vet didn't administer a high enough dose? Maybe there's a target area that needs to be hit and he missed? My vet always checks for a heartbeat before pronouncing them. Did he bother to check? My little friends are always cremated, so they don't come home with me. I can't imagine how that must of felt to find him like that. I'm so sorry. Dee [Posted in FML issue 3745]