| My Ferret is Dying - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Pacman |
I currently have three ferrets. Previously I had one die, Jack Ferret,
from congenital heart failure at about one year old. It was a Marshal
Farms, and so he was replaced under the warranty, but not until we had
spent approx. $500.00 trying to save him. We replaced him with Sam, a
beautiful
Marshal Farms ferret. We also subsequently got two other ferrets from
a local breeder to be Sam's buddies: Sophie and Siggie. All are
approximately five years old.
Siggie is an albino and has traditionally been the most active and
mischievious. His stools have been very wet for quite a while, perhaps
diarhea, but since his behavior and eating habits maintained at a good
level, and he maintained a good weight, I never had the matter looked
at. But late last week, siggie suddenly began losing weight and
appeared listless. I didn't really notice at first, and went away for
three days. Since I've returned, I would describe his weight loss as
catastrophic: He is little more than skin and bones. It is awful to
pick him up and feel his body. He has gone from lethargic to unable to
stand or walk on his own. He is having one stool for every three or
four of the other ferrets, and they have turned jet-black and tar-like
in consistency. I suspect he is no longer eating. I think he is too
weak to reach the water bottle, so I put a dish with water in it for
him to drink (all the ferrets are accustomed to sometimes drink this
way). I don't even think he can reach that, and so I hold him up to
help him get some water, but he won't drink any. He is in really bad
shape.
The saddest part of all of this is that I am flat broke, recently out
of a job and my credit cards are maxed out. I have no funds to take
him in and have him seen and treated. I could probably borrow a little
from my mom, maybe 50 to 100 dollars, but unless she feels confident
that he can be treated with a relatively good chance to recover, she
won't help. She saw what happened with Jack Ferret, and thought that
it was wasted money.
I know he needs to be seen and get an I.V. in him ASAP, and probably
medication, but unfortunately, I am probably going to have to say
goodbye to him within the next day or two.
I guess my question at this juncture is, does anyone recognize these
symptoms? What is it that he has, and how easy is it to treat?
Approx. how much money will it cost for a vet to treat him?
Thanks in advance for any information you could provide.
Fearfully Yours,
Pac
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| jumpingmouse & kylie |
Jet black tarrry stools indicate bleeding in the upper digestive tract -
possibly an ulcer? It's impossible for us to diagnose your ferret a)
because we're not vets and b) because we can't even see him. What you're
describing, tho, is a situation that sounds like the ferret is suffering.
If I were in your shoes, I'd take the ferret to the nearest ferret vet and
at least have him put out of his misery. It definitely sounds like he would
need subQ fluids (and more than once) and some medications on a schedule for
a while. If you went away for several days, was he unmonitored while you
were gone? No one was taking care of him? If that's the case, you're
probably not going to give him meds and get the care he needs, so at least
be humane enough to end his suffering. If you WOULD, you could be getting
some fluids in him with an eyedropper or a syringe with the needle removed.
That may relieve a little of his misery. Some warm a/d would put a little
nutrition in his tummy; some Pepcid and antibiotics and would help heal what
sounds like an ulcer (maybe?). It's just impossible for us to guess, but it
sounds like he is suffering and you have been rather inattentive to his
needs up until now, so just put the poor little guy out of his pain. That
can't cost more than about $50.
Best of luck to you and, PLEASE get educated on early signs of illnesses in
ferrets because usually by the time they are advanced enough for someone
like you to notice, the ferret is nearly dead. Ferrets hide the fact that
they are not well. They give 'subtle' signs, but if the owner isn't paying
attention and take immediate action, the ferret usually does exactly as your
ferret is doing and dies as a result. Sorry to be so blunt, but that's
about how it usually goes.
I'm sorry for your loss. I hope you won't get more ferrets......or if you
do that you will be more prepared and educated to look for subtle hints of
illness and know when and what actions to take. By the time they reach the
stage you are describing, they CAN be saved often, but it takes a lot of
work and dedication (frequent medications on a strict schedule, frequent
hand feedings and subQ fluids - all which would have to start immediately
and stay constant until he gets his strength back. Your choice, but it does
sound like you've waited a long time. For a sick ferret, 12 hours is a long
time......three days is outrageous. I'm surprised he wasn't dead by the time
you got home if he's bleeding internally. :-( Posts like this make me sad,
but also a bit angry...... (yes, better that you ask late than never, but I
sure wish you would have asked waaaaay sooner for help and that you had
educated yourself and had some Pepcid, some syringes, some baby food chicken
or turkey (warmed) on hand to feed the little guy if nothing else....so so
sad)
jacquie, kylie & gilbert
Pacman <pacumeni9@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110434068.877073.287750@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> I currently have three ferrets. Previously I had one die, Jack Ferret,
> from congenital heart failure at about one year old. It was a Marshal
> Farms, and so he was replaced under the warranty, but not until we had
> spent approx. $500.00 trying to save him. We replaced him with Sam, a
> beautiful
> Marshal Farms ferret. We also subsequently got two other ferrets from
> a local breeder to be Sam's buddies: Sophie and Siggie. All are
> approximately five years old.
>
> Siggie is an albino and has traditionally been the most active and
> mischievious. His stools have been very wet for quite a while, perhaps
> diarhea, but since his behavior and eating habits maintained at a good
> level, and he maintained a good weight, I never had the matter looked
> at. But late last week, siggie suddenly began losing weight and
> appeared listless. I didn't really notice at first, and went away for
> three days. Since I've returned, I would describe his weight loss as
> catastrophic: He is little more than skin and bones. It is awful to
> pick him up and feel his body. He has gone from lethargic to unable to
> stand or walk on his own. He is having one stool for every three or
> four of the other ferrets, and they have turned jet-black and tar-like
> in consistency. I suspect he is no longer eating. I think he is too
> weak to reach the water bottle, so I put a dish with water in it for
> him to drink (all the ferrets are accustomed to sometimes drink this
> way). I don't even think he can reach that, and so I hold him up to
> help him get some water, but he won't drink any. He is in really bad
> shape.
>
> The saddest part of all of this is that I am flat broke, recently out
> of a job and my credit cards are maxed out. I have no funds to take
> him in and have him seen and treated. I could probably borrow a little
> from my mom, maybe 50 to 100 dollars, but unless she feels confident
> that he can be treated with a relatively good chance to recover, she
> won't help. She saw what happened with Jack Ferret, and thought that
> it was wasted money.
>
> I know he needs to be seen and get an I.V. in him ASAP, and probably
> medication, but unfortunately, I am probably going to have to say
> goodbye to him within the next day or two.
>
> I guess my question at this juncture is, does anyone recognize these
> symptoms? What is it that he has, and how easy is it to treat?
> Approx. how much money will it cost for a vet to treat him?
>
> Thanks in advance for any information you could provide.
>
> Fearfully Yours,
> Pac
>
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| Brian S. |
I would have to add that sub q at this point really would not do the trick.
At this point the fuzzy needs an iv... Wilson was stumbling to find his
water bottle and i was feeding him water thru a syringe every 15 minutes and
it was like he was on a desert. I aggree with the other things that you have
said. I know people cant afford things all the time but i paid 877 dollars
just to have little man alive for 24 more hours to see if there was a chance
and i caught this different way of acting right away. another thing is that,
if you can't afford it, you might want to get a consultation and go from
there. alot of vets will take a small payment and then make arrangements if
the little one can be saved.
on another note it has been so crazy around here with mr. bouncy...
(everyone is calling him buster) but the only time he is ok is when he is
sleeping. he has alot to learn and i am willing to train him . alot of
people that don't know would have taken him back. i guess i get what i
deserve. wilson's little brother, the crazy one.
i hope you find the cause. in any case, if he is suffering that bad and cant
stand on the hind legs well then you have to make that decision.
brian s.
"jumpingmouse & kylie" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:FMSXd.6153$cN6.414@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Jet black tarrry stools indicate bleeding in the upper digestive tract -
> possibly an ulcer? It's impossible for us to diagnose your ferret a)
> because we're not vets and b) because we can't even see him. What you're
> describing, tho, is a situation that sounds like the ferret is suffering.
> If I were in your shoes, I'd take the ferret to the nearest ferret vet and
> at least have him put out of his misery. It definitely sounds like he
> would
> need subQ fluids (and more than once) and some medications on a schedule
> for
> a while. If you went away for several days, was he unmonitored while you
> were gone? No one was taking care of him? If that's the case, you're
> probably not going to give him meds and get the care he needs, so at least
> be humane enough to end his suffering. If you WOULD, you could be getting
> some fluids in him with an eyedropper or a syringe with the needle
> removed.
> That may relieve a little of his misery. Some warm a/d would put a little
> nutrition in his tummy; some Pepcid and antibiotics and would help heal
> what
> sounds like an ulcer (maybe?). It's just impossible for us to guess, but
> it
> sounds like he is suffering and you have been rather inattentive to his
> needs up until now, so just put the poor little guy out of his pain. That
> can't cost more than about $50.
>
> Best of luck to you and, PLEASE get educated on early signs of illnesses
> in
> ferrets because usually by the time they are advanced enough for someone
> like you to notice, the ferret is nearly dead. Ferrets hide the fact that
> they are not well. They give 'subtle' signs, but if the owner isn't
> paying
> attention and take immediate action, the ferret usually does exactly as
> your
> ferret is doing and dies as a result. Sorry to be so blunt, but that's
> about how it usually goes.
>
> I'm sorry for your loss. I hope you won't get more ferrets......or if you
> do that you will be more prepared and educated to look for subtle hints of
> illness and know when and what actions to take. By the time they reach
> the
> stage you are describing, they CAN be saved often, but it takes a lot of
> work and dedication (frequent medications on a strict schedule, frequent
> hand feedings and subQ fluids - all which would have to start immediately
> and stay constant until he gets his strength back. Your choice, but it
> does
> sound like you've waited a long time. For a sick ferret, 12 hours is a
> long
> time......three days is outrageous. I'm surprised he wasn't dead by the
> time
> you got home if he's bleeding internally. :-( Posts like this make me
> sad,
> but also a bit angry...... (yes, better that you ask late than never, but
> I
> sure wish you would have asked waaaaay sooner for help and that you had
> educated yourself and had some Pepcid, some syringes, some baby food
> chicken
> or turkey (warmed) on hand to feed the little guy if nothing else....so so
> sad)
>
> jacquie, kylie & gilbert
>
> Pacman <pacumeni9@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1110434068.877073.287750@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> I currently have three ferrets. Previously I had one die, Jack Ferret,
>> from congenital heart failure at about one year old. It was a Marshal
>> Farms, and so he was replaced under the warranty, but not until we had
>> spent approx. $500.00 trying to save him. We replaced him with Sam, a
>> beautiful
>> Marshal Farms ferret. We also subsequently got two other ferrets from
>> a local breeder to be Sam's buddies: Sophie and Siggie. All are
>> approximately five years old.
>>
>> Siggie is an albino and has traditionally been the most active and
>> mischievious. His stools have been very wet for quite a while, perhaps
>> diarhea, but since his behavior and eating habits maintained at a good
>> level, and he maintained a good weight, I never had the matter looked
>> at. But late last week, siggie suddenly began losing weight and
>> appeared listless. I didn't really notice at first, and went away for
>> three days. Since I've returned, I would describe his weight loss as
>> catastrophic: He is little more than skin and bones. It is awful to
>> pick him up and feel his body. He has gone from lethargic to unable to
>> stand or walk on his own. He is having one stool for every three or
>> four of the other ferrets, and they have turned jet-black and tar-like
>> in consistency. I suspect he is no longer eating. I think he is too
>> weak to reach the water bottle, so I put a dish with water in it for
>> him to drink (all the ferrets are accustomed to sometimes drink this
>> way). I don't even think he can reach that, and so I hold him up to
>> help him get some water, but he won't drink any. He is in really bad
>> shape.
>>
>> The saddest part of all of this is that I am flat broke, recently out
>> of a job and my credit cards are maxed out. I have no funds to take
>> him in and have him seen and treated. I could probably borrow a little
>> from my mom, maybe 50 to 100 dollars, but unless she feels confident
>> that he can be treated with a relatively good chance to recover, she
>> won't help. She saw what happened with Jack Ferret, and thought that
>> it was wasted money.
>>
>> I know he needs to be seen and get an I.V. in him ASAP, and probably
>> medication, but unfortunately, I am probably going to have to say
>> goodbye to him within the next day or two.
>>
>> I guess my question at this juncture is, does anyone recognize these
>> symptoms? What is it that he has, and how easy is it to treat?
>> Approx. how much money will it cost for a vet to treat him?
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any information you could provide.
>>
>> Fearfully Yours,
>> Pac
>>
>
>
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| Joker |
P> Never mind. :-(
Sorry to hear about Siggie.
--
James & Family
Loving: Bebe, Fred & Max
Missing: Wheezer, Pym, Rikki, Jako & Riley
“We recite the names, lest we forget”
Moru, Sage Ferretus
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| Celtic Ferret |
If you don't have the money to care for him, please put him to sleep
and save him suffering.
With a rapid weight loss from unknown causes it often found that what
ever caused the problem it is often too late to treat it.
KG
Pacman wrote:
> I currently have three ferrets. Previously I had one die, Jack
Ferret,
> from congenital heart failure at about one year old. It was a
Marshal
> Farms, and so he was replaced under the warranty, but not until we
had
> spent approx. $500.00 trying to save him. We replaced him with Sam,
a
> beautiful
> Marshal Farms ferret. We also subsequently got two other ferrets
from
> a local breeder to be Sam's buddies: Sophie and Siggie. All are
> approximately five years old.
>
> Siggie is an albino and has traditionally been the most active and
> mischievious. His stools have been very wet for quite a while,
perhaps
> diarhea, but since his behavior and eating habits maintained at a
good
> level, and he maintained a good weight, I never had the matter looked
> at. But late last week, siggie suddenly began losing weight and
> appeared listless. I didn't really notice at first, and went away
for
> three days. Since I've returned, I would describe his weight loss as
> catastrophic: He is little more than skin and bones. It is awful to
> pick him up and feel his body. He has gone from lethargic to unable
to
> stand or walk on his own. He is having one stool for every three or
> four of the other ferrets, and they have turned jet-black and
tar-like
> in consistency. I suspect he is no longer eating. I think he is too
> weak to reach the water bottle, so I put a dish with water in it for
> him to drink (all the ferrets are accustomed to sometimes drink this
> way). I don't even think he can reach that, and so I hold him up to
> help him get some water, but he won't drink any. He is in really bad
> shape.
>
> The saddest part of all of this is that I am flat broke, recently out
> of a job and my credit cards are maxed out. I have no funds to take
> him in and have him seen and treated. I could probably borrow a
little
> from my mom, maybe 50 to 100 dollars, but unless she feels confident
> that he can be treated with a relatively good chance to recover, she
> won't help. She saw what happened with Jack Ferret, and thought that
> it was wasted money.
>
> I know he needs to be seen and get an I.V. in him ASAP, and probably
> medication, but unfortunately, I am probably going to have to say
> goodbye to him within the next day or two.
>
> I guess my question at this juncture is, does anyone recognize these
> symptoms? What is it that he has, and how easy is it to treat?
> Approx. how much money will it cost for a vet to treat him?
>
> Thanks in advance for any information you could provide.
>
> Fearfully Yours,
> Pac
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| John&Diane Kolomijez |
Aww...I'm very sorry. I'm sure you loved him very much. **Tears**
Diane & The Boops
"Joker" <post_master@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:g7ZXd.7697$YD4.730@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
> P> Never mind. :-(
>
> Sorry to hear about Siggie.
>
> --
> James & Family
> Loving: Bebe, Fred & Max
> Missing: Wheezer, Pym, Rikki, Jako & Riley
>
> "We recite the names, lest we forget"
> Moru, Sage Ferretus
>
>
>
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