Four year old Polo lost the person he loved, & the only home he had ever known, in one short day.
Even though he loved to run the room, he sorely missed his former human, Amanda. He went into shelter shock. He refused
to eat or drink, & had to be force-fed. He became gravely ill, & needed supportive care, including fluids for the
dehydration. People don`t realize how deeply some ferrets grieve when they lose their human...
Over the next few weeks, we managed to convince Polo that he could love again. He began to eat, drink, & play. He
enjoyed special cuddles in the middle of the night when I was doing special feedings for some of the others.He got special
one on one care, early in the morning before medicine rounds. Life was good.
On March 2,2004, when I was doing special feedings at 4 a.m., I noticed Polo going to his box, 8 times in ten minutes.
He was crying. He couldn`t urinate.Polo was taken in for an emergency vet visit. He was now crying with every breath.
We were given two options--Put him to sleep to end the suffering, or put him in for emergency surgery with no guarantees...One
of the promises we make to every resident here is that it will never be left behind again....One of the hardest things I ever
had to do in my life was to hand Polo, whom I had now deeply bonded with, over to the vet for surgery. Not knowing if I would
ever see him alive again, I promised him I`d be back. He showered my face with kisses, & I walked out, in tears.
Polo had a tumor on his bladder, and a grossly enlarged right adrenal gland (which was removed, & sent to the
lab for evaluation) Right adrenal removal is a tricky surgery--the vena cava is dangerously close--and one wrong move can
bring instant death.....
He suffered from a clotting problem following surgery, and required several days with the vet, in intensive care---but
he made it! Nearly $1000. later, he is back home & recovering nicely.(Mastercard loves us!)
Exotic veterinary care can run into some big bucks. If you are considering a ferret as a pet, be prepared to provide
for it`s needs.
Love, Zoo
UPDATE--
Polo lasted nine months, following his surgery. He had a urinary blockage--and this time he couldn`t be fixed. I am heavy-hearted,
every time I think of Polo. He fought so hard to recover, after that surgery, & we really thought we were out of the woods.
Our only consolation is that we bought him some more time. What a wonderful boy he was.
Love, Zoo
