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On August 15th, 2002, Cathy got a phone call about two more
babies in need. Apparently, a family had given their two ferrets to someone in May, because their new apartment would
only allow one pet. (I believe they kept a cat.) The people already had one ferret, so they believed they did
the right thing. On August 13th, they decided to stop by, on a surprise visit, to see how their babies were doing.
The conditions were DEPLORABLE! The ferrets they had lovingly given up were little walking skeletons, and one had "lost a
lot of her fur and bit HORRIBLY"!!! The one little girl had play-bitten before, but NOTHING like THIS, and she
had red stains all around her mouth. The girlfriend let it slip that the man had forced TABASCO SAUCE into her
mouth, EVERY TIME SHE BIT!!!! The couple said they were taking their ferrets back NOW, and taking them to a vet. The
nasty people were more than willing to give them back.
The woman explained to Cathy that their 22 month old
daughter is on a transplant list, and she's terribly afraid that the ferrets may have contracted some disease, while OUTSIDE,
at the other house. (Yes, running LOOSE, one day!) She wanted to know if the Sanctuary would take them....
She had called at 7:30pm, and Cathy asked
when she wanted to meet..she said ASAP. So, they brought them to the Sanctuary at 9:30 pm on August 15th.
Little Sadie is very sweet. Princess is very sick, and will take much work. Both ate and drank like they'd
been starved. Cathy wasn't actively looking for more ferrets, but apparently they were sent to her for a reason.
They, like all the others, will now have a terrific forever home at the Sanctuary. Lots of loving, and all the food,
water, medicines, and playtime that a ferret could need!
UPDATE!
8/27/02
These two little girls have now been at the Sanctuary for
1.5 weeks, and are showing remarkable improvement!
Princess, the really sick one of the pair, has been getting
duck soup every three hours, and lots of BeneBac. Her mouth showed stains from the tabasco sauce for almost a week.
She had a clear discharge from the nose, tinged with blood, which the vet said not to panic over...her mucous membranes were
messed up from the sauce. It disappeared on August 19th. She has probably gained three or four ounces,
but is still pitifully thin (worse than SNOWBALL was!), adrenal, maybe has insulinoma, and what fur she has is coarse
& wiry. The matter is gone from her eyes, which were "squinty" (with pain, Cathy supposes), and she looks
much brighter now. Towards the end of the first week she allowed Cathy to touch her, when she was eating. Cathy
has offered her duck soup off the end of her finger already, and her finger is still attached!!! Cathy says that, "Somehow,
I think she knows she's safe."
Sadie was not as affected by the cruel treatment.
She is HORRIBLY thin, with TERRIBLY matted coat...WALNUT & pea sized mats!!! But she is very sweet & allows handling
& inspection.
Both will have blood workups soon to determine any
other health problems, and to confirm already suspected ones.
UPDATE!
2/14/03
Princess & Sadie Lady have integrated beautifully into the 'Merry' group, over the past few
months. They have both gained weight, and are able to stay out of the cage much longer now at playtime. (When
tired, they all return to their cages to sleep!)
Princess comes when you call her name now, and has become very loving, although she has an occasional
flashback, and goes after toes!!! She is very playful & energetic. Still rather bald...hopefully, the Lupron
will bring back her fur. She has not responded to the Melatonin therapy.
Sadie Lady has begun to show first signs of adrenal disease, but still has her coat, for
now. We are doing Melatonin therapy at present, but will begin Lupron, this month.
Update by Zoo (August 9, 2003)
Sadie Lady died at 5:55, this morning.
She was becoming adrenal when she joined us, but her sister Princess was worse.
She had her lupron shot on May 29, along with 10 others. She was the only girl who didn`t show some relief from symptoms....There
was more going on, than just adrenal disease..
Three days ago, she looked pale. Still came out & played, still ate, drank, etc-- poo looked good. She acted just fine---
just wore out sooner. We put her on pet tinic.
Last night, she still wasn`t better, so a vet visit was planned for today--but she never made it---I knew...The poo was
now black--Her temp was 92.1 at 3 a.m. She was sleeping, as I took the temperature....Totally unaware...
Thank God it was peaceful---She just fell asleep forever.The vet believes she had some kind of tumor that invaded
a blood supply--and she simply bled out internally.(She wouldn`t have become that severely anemic, overnight) According
to him, that`s one of the best ways to go--No pain--just tiredness & weakness, and wanting to sleep.
This is our 14th loss this year.All were over age five, most were older.That didn`t make it any easier.
Princess got a lupron shot on May 29, 2003, when her sister did. She went from bald to beautiful--has a wonderful, thick
new coat.You`d never know she has cancer at all--She is feeling fine.(And to think that she was the one who looked worse----Guess
you just never know....) We will post a new picture of Princess soon, so you can see her new look.
Love, Zoo
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