HI friends - Blossom here! I am the prettiest gal at Ferret Wise ( do not tell ms Biscuit okay? ) Well we gots some good news, some not so good news today. The first thing that Mom was so happy to hear is the ADV testing came back NEGATIVE. She was smiling a lots and even let the new kids Dapper & Sketch out to play with Biscuit, Austin and yours truly Hooray! The little kids were so happy to play they was dancing sideways! Mom also noticed they are getting to be a tad better in the potty box area too. The not so good news today is that our elder guy Pancho over at St Gregory's who came to use several years ago as a stolen lab ferret with IBD, passed away to rainbow bridge today. He had had surgery for a prepucial tumor last November and was doing pretty great right up until this AM. Last night he trotted down the hall sipped soup, ate kibble and seemed very bright, today he was in pain and would not eat or play, everyone in the room Skipper, Onyx, Oleg and Vanya slept o top of him to keep him warm. Hospice Mom Judy noticed that just over night he grew another big big lump. He was too old and too skinny to fix again, so Dr George helped him on his way- just like he wanted. Another shelter kid, Dargo the GI ferret quietly passed away under th4 loving care of hospice folks Randy & Cindy Roberts. He just was too old to make his homecoming . In the nearly 2 years that Dargo was under the shelter care ( intake 7/28/2004) waiting for his Dad to return from the war he received over $6,000.00 in care which included Melatonin implants, monthly lupron injections emergency surgery, diagnostics and nutrition. (This of course does NOT include the several emergency visits & ultrasound that the Roberts' paid for out of pocket) The folks at Ferret Wise want to thank the individuals who have supported our work... we could not provide this kind of care without your help! Emily remains in our care and she has begun to show adrenal symptoms now, she is on both melatonin and lupron injections monthly. Still it is kind of hard on the humans here, losing the elder ferrets. A little funny note here-- AUSTIN has decided since JJ got here that he wants a stripe too! After several years as a bibbed chocolate he grew a stripe which starts at the top of his head much like JJ's!. Well I could not have that so I great one too~ Mine is bigger, wider and much prettier than the boys! Momma misses the panda head but I am sooo proud of my new colors! The shelter folks finally broke down & replaced the AC unit in our shelter room with one with a thermastat, now we won't get icy chills, it will only cool us off a little. Mom thinks that will help save us lectric money. And speaking of lectric money check out the current ebay items which do help us here at the shelter. It takes lots and lost of money for AVD testing, vaccinations, fecal checks, surgeries, lupron & melatonin.. specially when there are so many older kids. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZcreativekolorQQhtZ-1 FERRET DESIGN TEE sz 2X for Ferret Wse ENDS: Jul-05-06 09:08:44 PDT http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180002534934 FOAMY FRIES & TOYS for ADV testing ENDS: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003449184 There is lots more goodies hiding on the ebay pages for gifts or special keepsakes please check them out! PS - Lucky continues to do great after having his big ole spleen taken out. He can trot down the hall for treats in god order now! Well I gots to go now- I am waiting to play with the new kids Dapper & Stretch- Momma is going to be placing them on the Petfinder soon so after they get vaccinations they can go to new homes! Many bouncy licks form Blossom, spokesferret www.ferretwise.org [Posted in FML issue 5294]