Sometimes, the worst part of a shelter mom's job is dealing with the money woes. Rufus is still in critical condition tonight at the vet's office. He's been placed on an IV catheder and a unary cathader too. His bladder is blocked from prostate enlargement and his kidneys are failing from the dehydration. He needs IV fluids to bring his kidneys back to life but his prostate is preventing him from urinating so he also needs a cathader to allow him to drain his baldder. Our vet's office closes at 8pm. The vet stayed late tonight to ensure Rufus was as comfortable as he could be before she left. Her advice was for us to have Rufus taken to the all night emergency clinic for over-night observation. She is worried that Rufus will pull out his IV or worse - his urnary catheder. Either could prove fatal to this kid. Without his urnary cath, his baldder could burst from all the fluids going into his veins from the IV and if the IV is pulled out, his kidneys could go into shock from the dehydration. Having to make the call on not taking him to a very expensive all night clinic is a hard descision. One i may regret in the morning if he doesn't make it. His bill so far is topping $800 and had we taken him to the over night clinic, would have added another $500-$600 just for the night. Now if he were my own kid, i would have sold my soul to the devil, sold my blood, done whatever it took to get the money to save him, care for him, make him better. But, when you have 40 or 50 other ferrets depending on you, your money, your fund-raising, is that really responcable? I don't know the answers tonight. I don't know if i made the right descisions. If he lives through the night, then i would have to say that i did what was right and if he doesn't, i will forever second guess myself. Not that we even have the $800 he already cost. Tonight i am hurting for Rufus, i am angry at the people that were suposed to be caring for this little boy child, a once lovely, happy and full of life boy. A full of life and personality kid who made everyone smile. Now this child of mine is a lump of bones, tucked away in a vet office, alone and scared. He should have been taken care of a long time ago. I somehow feel like this is my fault. I adopted to these people - i trusted them. Not only did they betray my trust, they betrayed my Rufus too. Please keep Rufus in your thoughts, please hope with me that he pulls through this cold winter's night. Miss Randy Melanie Belair President The Ferret Aid Society www.ferretaid.org <http://www.ferretaid.org/> Join us for the IFC Ferret Aid 2006 Conference! Book early, almost 1/2 sold out!! http://www.ferretaid.org/events/ferret_aid_2006.html [Posted in FML issue 5099]