Hi, My name is Elesha and I don't often post but do read all posts. First I would like to explain that this post is not regarding my ferret, Gidget, but her playmate, our little shih-tzu, Gabby. I am posting here for anyone to help us fight our battle. Please let me say that what I am about to post is not representitive of all dog groomers, just the one I am talking about at this time.....are you all ready for this? Here goes,... On Thursday morning (2-19-04) I took our adopted gabby girl (2 yo female 7lb shih-tzu) to a new groomer that happened to be located exactly right next door to my vet, so I felt pretty safe that she would be treated well ( I have heard alot of horror stories about groomers getting a little rough with the animals). Anyway, I picked her up at 1:00 and they explained that she was tender around her mouth and they tried to look in her mouth but she wouldn't let them. Also they were a little strange in how they carefully as if with a china doll brought her to me, but I 'm thinking ok, so they are really nice and caring....wrong! I bring Gabby home, go back to work and later that evening I notice that she cannot chew her food and she seems really sad and tired, so the next day, Friday I took her to my vet, also at this time, she is a little constipated so I had the vet check both things....ok, to make a very long story short, my vet calls me and informs me that Gabby has a broken jaw. I rush back to her office and authorize her to do the needed surgery. Later that evening, I get the second call "Gabby has stopped breathing and her heart rate has dropped drastically" They had to cease the surgery and bring her out of the anesthesia. Thank God my Vet is awesome, Gabby is ok today. After all kind of testing on her blood she had stress colitis and of course the broken jaw, which we found out later is broken in 2 places. The groomes of course insists that she came in that way, but the dr. tells me she would have had to be either hit by a car, or dropped from a high place or some sort of blunt trauma to her face. We took Gabby home to try to relax her and medicate her over the weekend, but she is back in the dr.'s office for her surgery today...... Please pray for Gabby this morning and if anyone knows of something I can do to shut this groomer down or prevent this from happening to someone elses loved one, please, please help me. In the state of Texas it appears that no attorney really wants to bother with this, after all it is only a dog....to them. Thanks, Elesha and Phillip and Gabby [Posted in FML issue 4432] Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 13:56:02 EST From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Home needed for 2 NC ferrets (Permission to cost-post ok'ed.) From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 11:21 AM Subject: PLEASE RESPOND, FERRETS NEED LOVING HOME I Have Two Ferrets That Were Given To My Young Daughter. They Were In Very Bad Shape At The Time. She Nursed Them Back To Health And Really Did A Good Job At It. She Has Now Become A Teen Ager And Has No Time For The Ferrets. I Am Disabled And Cant Get Them Medical Care And I Think That One Needs It. He Has Lost The Hair On His Tail And Starting To On His Back. His Name Is Houdini Because He Always Found A Way To Open The Cage Doors. I Wanted To Find Someone That Would Love These Two And Keep Them Together And Give Them The Quality Of Life They Deserve. Can You Help Me. They Dont Get Much Attention Any More And Its Not Fair To Them. Houdini Started To Lose His Hair After We Had The House Sprayed For Roaches. We Took Them Outside During The Time But I Am Afraid That It Has Hurt Him. Houdini And Midnight Are Very Good Ferret And Have Been Around Cats In The Past. They Have Never Bit Or Showed Any Aggressiveness, Even After Their Rough Start. Houdini Is About 4 And Midnight Is About 3. I Hope That You Can Help Me. We Live In Sanford, North Carolina. Thanks Anna [Posted in FML issue 4433]