What
does the picture above have to do with anything? Well, it’s
my two favorite things, ferrets and wine :)
Actually, it’s more
like one of our personal ferrets begging for some beer, we have an
alcoholic in the house. This is the ferret that sees a glass
on the table and has to check it out. If it’s water or
juice, she’s not interested, if it’s wine or beer, that ferret has
to have it. Her name is Bree, she’s only about 2 years old.
She actually stole a beer off the coffee table once, knocked over
all the booze, then hid the bottle behind the entertainment center. Sounds like she has a problem and is trying to hide it. We have
decided that Bree needs to go to Alcoholics anonymous, do they have
them for ferrets?
There are some ferrets that truly make a difference in our lives,
unfortunately it is not until they have passed that we realize the
lesson they needed to teach us. We lost four ferrets in the
last 30 days. First, was Nokki. Nokki and her sister Nikki
were adopted September of ’04. The new parents were aware that
Nokki needed her adrenal surgery and soon. They were presented
with many other ferrets to adopt, but, they insisted on Nikki and
Nokki. They signed a contract stating that Nokki will be taken
in for surgery within three months.
In January I sent
emails to the new mom inquiring about Nokki, said her surgery will
be done in February, then March, I got an email stating that finances
aren’t working and the ferrets have to come back to the shelter. So, Nikki & Nokki were returned. They looked good, but we
knew Nokki’s adrenal needed attention immediately. Unfortunately,
the vet bill was at $4800 and surgery was not an option unless it
was an emergency. Then, we learned we could send Nokki to Oregon
so she could get her surgery for $100. A great deal, and something
we could afford. All plans were being made when in the middle
of everything we drove down to Pasadena to set up a booth for the
Ferrets Anonymous Round up, and while Bob Church was speaking about
using raccoon urine to stimulate your ferrets senses, I got the call
on my cell about Nokki. The volunteers had rushed her to Minden
for an emergency surgery. Unfortunately, we were too late, Nokki’s
adrenal had pierced her vena cava, moved into the liver, and she had
a blood clot that burst. I am still angry at her adopters for
not binding to the contract. I’m also angry with myself for
not taking her in sooner, regardless. But that vet bill was
so high. It’s a constant struggle in my mind, had we only known.
Then
there was Beevo. Beevo was rescued out of a bad situation of
which I can’t list the details. However, he went straight to
the vet, we only stopped at the shelter to pick up soup so he could
try to eat on the way there. Beevo was naked, severely dehydrated
and had a huge tumor on his tail. We knew he wouldn’t make it,
but we had to try. On the hour drive he ate the soup willingly,
then wanted more, and more. We had hoped we didn’t rescue him
too late and he would recover. On top of that, he wanted to
bite anyone that tried to pick him up. I don’t blame him, I’d
want to bite too if I were in his condition. The vet wasn’t
so sure but saw he wanted to eat. So they sub q’d him since
he was too dehydrated for an IV. The next day he was doing much
better, seemed more alert and active, and ate soup on his own, and
they finally got an IV in him. I actually believed he would
pull through. Beevo took a turn for the worse on the third day. His veins started to collapse, and he was going down hill quickly. On the fourth day, he still was not improving, so we agreed to let
him go to the rainbow bridge. Once again, if only thoughts take
over my mind.
Then there was Stuart. Stuart had an emergency
adrenal surgery a few months back, then went to a foster home with
his brother Champ. Stuart’s adrenal had pierced into the vena
cava, and was frozen that way, chances of it breaking off were slim,
but could happen, causing death. So, off to a foster home they
went. A week later, Stuart was in the ER again due to an insulinomic
seizure. Started on meds, and has lived happily since, until
a couple weeks ago, his foster mom called to tell me, Stuart passed
away comfortably in his sleep. Champ gets to stay in his foster
home, maybe he’ll eventually like other ferrets. There is no
what if’s on Stuart. I know he died happy and loved. If
only all of them could have that opportunity.
Tip of the month:
Members of the Biggest Little Ferret Shelter and the Northern
Nevada Ferret Network write this newsletter.
The NNFN, Northern Nevada
Ferret Network is a group of ferret enthusiasts who get together and
talk ferret talk, how to raise money, how to spend money, ideas, how
to get the needed education about ferrets out there, etc.
The
BLFS, Biggest Little Ferret Shelter is a no-kill ferret shelter where
no ferret is denied the right to be a ferret. www.renoferrets.org
New
volunteers always welcome! The NNFN is a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization.
In the last issue of this newsletter it was announced that if
you haven’t heard already, the shelter is closing. Phase one
means no longer taking in private surrenders. The reason for
this is the atrocious costs of veterinary care. We had a year
of mostly emergency surgeries. Ferrets coming in day before
dead, and the bills just kept piling up. Then little things
like gas prices don’t help, everyone I’m sure knows we drive 70 miles
one way to see our vet, then another 70 miles back. Many times
we have to leave the ferrets at the vets for their procedures, and
come back for them the next day. In all reality, even
though we’re 501(c)3 not-for-profit, the donations just weren’t coming
in. My paycheck can only handle so much, and the volunteers
give all they can.
After the announcement last month, many phone
calls were placed to the shelter asking how they can help. Thanks
to some very generous people, the shelter can keep going a little
longer. The vet bill is down to $2500, and hopefully paid off
soon. We would like to recognize some of the wonderful angels
who helped to rescue us: Todesco Construction,Inc. A.C.M.E.
Concrete Pumping, Inc. The Oregon Ferret Shelter, Capital City Ferret
Club, and Petco.
I also want to say thank you again to all the volunteers
who drop everything to help us get a ferret to the vet, or to do shots,
or help clean, work on the website, edit the newsletter, crochet eggs,
sew bedding, help with meds, research, and I know I missed someone
again.
I especially want to say thank you to Carson Valley Veterinary
Clinic for their patience when we show up with 12 ferrets. For
their compassion when we lose one. Their understanding with
the high vet bill. And for always being available, even
at 3 am.
And last, I want to thank Linda Soule for always offering
to pick up the furry kids from the vets so they can have a sleep over
at her house when we can’t get up there. Or when they’ve had
surgery and they need that constant care and to be close to the vets.
Thank you everyone, these ferrets couldn’t be so happy without all of you.
The look on my face must have been priceless if I could only see myself. It was one of those days where everything was going all too smoothly. Woke up on time, got everything done and still made it to the S. Reno Petco early for our weekly event. Anyone that has volunteered with me knows I’m ALWAYS late. So here I was early, waiting on them.
We had to leave the event early due to our work schedules, but that was okay. We packed up, got everything done, and here I was running early again. Something was not right. Things just went too easy.
So I got home and unpacked all the event stuff, checked my watch, still running early. So I figure I get to play with the furry kids a little extra.
As I walked towards the kitchen my mind started to slow down to be able to figure out what I was seeing. In the living room, glass in front of the sliding closet door. Not just little glass, but a lot. Shattered all over the floor. My first thought was where are the six ferrets that were out playing in this room? I went on a frantic search for them all, checking every hidey spot they love to sleep in. Two ferrets, Rascal and Bree, while okay, seemed in shock. I held them and cuddled them as they slowly came to. Then I locked all six of them in their cage so I can clean up the mess. Somewhere in there I made a few phone calls, first one was to my boyfriend yelling at him for leaving the sliding door open before leaving for work, allowing the fuzzies to climb the cage in front of it and get on the upper shelves where it wasn’t ferret safe. They had knocked over the extra donation jar that was being stored way up top. They knocked over the clean bedding too, but the bedding isn’t a danger, the other breakable sharp supplies are.
After talking to my boyfriend I realized how quickly I jumped to conclusions. He would never be so careless as to leave the sliding door open, he knows better, and is just as careful around these fuzzies as I am. And then it occurred to me. They figured out how to open the door themselves. It’s not that hard, just put a little weight on one side and it’s done. They must have watched me open the door a million times, wouldn’t take a genius to figure that out.
I realized all too late how dangerous it can be to be a ferret. The curiosity killed the ferret not the cat. Fortunately none of our babies were injured, just shocked from the loud noise it must have made.
Sometimes, there comes
a time in your furry child’s life, that you realize you have to make
a difficult choice. You have to take them in and have the vet
give them a shot of kindness.
This is never an easy choice. And
only you know if that is the right decision.
I bring this up
because a couple days ago I had to let go one of my own. Delilah. She was the perfect little albino girl. Rescued her many years
ago, named her Delilah Jones after a Grateful Dead song. Her
age has always been uncertain, recently we figured her to be at minimum
eight years old.
She has had two adrenal surgeries and
several months ago she came down with insulinoma. Unfortunately,
she didn’t respond well to the pred, and we continually had to up
her dosage. She had a different type of insulinoma, at least
not the kind I was used to. Different types of seizures, not
something I recognized from my experience.
We decided to try
proglycem. If you’ve used it, you know this drug is not cheap,
and you still have to keep the fuzzy on the pred too.
To
our surprise, Delilah responded wonderfully to the new drug. Kept getting better and better. One day I even saw her playing! I was ecstatic.
To give you a little more history, Delilah
was fully blind. But she got around quite well. As her
cancer took over her body more, she slowed down. We considered
getting her a smaller cage, but were afraid it would mess her up since
she couldn’t see. So we let her be.
Then, a few
days ago, she crashed. Hard. She didn’t want her soup,
always hated her meds, she wanted nothing to do with anything. She crawled to the top of the cage and just wanted to be left alone. She didn’t want me to hold her, she didn’t even want to be with Grinch. Then, the realization hit when she went to go potty and she strained
in pain. She was hurting.
I suppose I could have put her
on a whole bunch of drugs to try to fix the problem, I’m sure the
vet would have found something we could do for a short while. But I knew better, and I decided that I would rather she go with dignity
and not hooked up to an IV while having a bunch of meds shoved down
her throat.
Her last two months were so good for her, I didn’t
want to take that away. And I especially didn’t want her to
spend her last days in pain because I wanted to hold on to her. That would have been selfish.
When we gave her the first
shot to let her go to sleep before the final, I saw the pain leave
her face, and she relaxed for the first time in a long time. I knew I was doing the right thing. She is in a better place
now, frolicking at the rainbow bridge with Sid and Tigger.
The
pictures below were taken about six years ago. One day, when
I got home from work, I came home to a destroyed bean bag chair, three
hiding ferrets and one playing in the inside out bean bag chair. That was Delilah, I never did punish them, how could I? After
all, they were pooping bean bag guts for 3 days.
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© 2004 Northern Nevada Ferret Network