This weekend shelter dad and Mom ran into town for errands-- things to get the education prgram off the ground and a trip to the office supply store. On the way by the pet store ( I don'rt usually go there) Mom got this urge to stop in and sy Hi ( snicker) well we walked in adn were greeted at the door by the local pet store owner. I asked how every thing was and got the standard GREAT! I asked if they had any new little ones in and he said yeah-- 4-5 or so--- as I turned to head towards the back he said uh, what do you think I should do........... We send wishes of sympathy to Kevin and all the others who during this season suffer the losses of their beloved pets. We know the sadness as just this week one of our NJ rescues was given a grim diagnosis-- seems Pasteur will never have another home-- but we love him dearly and will make him comfortable for the time he is granted with us on this earth! He will get an extra dab of nutrical whenever he wants it! And on to A Ruby Christmas-- Okay here is the poop--- a shipment 1 1/2 weeks ago arrived -- they sold one immediately to a college guy--- well of course the guy got caught in the dorm-- it came back to the pet store and now -- the guy had the flu -- when he returned the ferret ( they took it back) it has been in the store sneezing for days-- I suggested a trip to the vets before I even peeked at it to get RX for respiratory if required.... well, that doesn't always happen at the pets stores-- so he offered would I look at him. Dad and I walked back top the holding room-- curled up in an isolation wire cage filled with shredded aspen was a TINY blaze ferret curled up struggling to breathe... I picked it up and went out into the hall ( birds in the back room were very noisy)-- In the quiet hallway I could hear a faint rattle in the chest-- I handed the ferret back to shelter dad and the attending store employee and headed to speak with the store owner.... The gist of it was that I told him I was PRETTY sure there was a need for medication and some hydration here-- of course they had no available vet-- and it was the weekend-- and I had to bite my lip-- by Monday the little one would be too far gone... so I did the un-forgivable-- I offered to pay stock replacement only on the ferret to get it out and on it's way to health. Heck, it is Christmas---- it worked-- he was happy to be able to have the $$ to buy another--- and off we ventured with the little one wrapped tight in a snug sack to keep it warm for the drive.... Once back at the shelter we decided until we knew the ferret was going to recover it would spend it's time in the dining room-- away from everyone-- so a TEENY cage is set up with a top open sleeper the ferret gets lost in-- and a food cup and a water dish-- for get the bottle-- The he is a she -- a tiny ruby eyed female , with milk teeth still apparent, but new ones erupting -- and she is a blaze / mitt after her third dose of antibiotics she is drinking water and eating food on her own-- though I am supplementing her with a mush ( more dry than wet as there is a tiny bit of prolapse on the rectum) and she actually started to play about 2 AM. Then went back to sleep. So the vigil will continue with on very tiny addition at Ferret Wise and we hope look forward to being able to announce in March that Ruby Christmas will be ready for a new loving home.... So from the tiniest-- the the eldest at Ferret Wise--- Happy Holidays, thanks for sharing with us here-- and PLEASE remember to support your local ferret shelters-- it is a big job and everyone does make such a difference in getting the enormous job of sheltering ferrets done! From shelter Mom Alicia and the many faces at Ferret Wise wishes for the happiest of holidays http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi./index.html [Posted in FML issue 2904]