GONE

Snow went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning at 9:00 am. I was packing things up to drive him to Gulf Coast when he died in my husband's arms. This has hit us way too fast. He was doing fine and the heart meds he was on seemed to be working very well. Just yesterday morning, he was bouncing around with everyone else, begging for treats. He gave no indication of feeling bad.

Then around 4:30 my husband called me and said that Snow was throwing up and had diarrhea. It was full of blood and thick mucous. No vet was available for ferrets on Saturday night, except for Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists some 30 miles away in the Galleria. We decided to sit up with him through the night and keep him hydrated and try to get him somewhere this morning. But when I called, they still had no ferret vet on duty.

We decided to try to get him to Gulf Coast, but he didn't make it. He was only 3 1/2 years old.

My poor little Snow. I'm so, so sad....

OUCHIE! MAH EYE!

I got Milo into the vet this morning. Heehee, he has a black eye! It's an injury from some major rumbling, but, luckily, there's no damage to the cornea ~ just the lid is bruised. When I called for the appointment, they told me that I shouldn't have used the Trioptic-S before having his eye checked. Apparently, there is a risk of the steriod in that medicine to cause blindness if it gets in to a scratch.

Well, damn. Color me panicked. I even "Googled" information about the medicine this weekend and found nothing about that contraindication. Of, course, I never would have used it, had I known.

It turned out OK, though. In fact Dr. Dori wants me to continue the medicine for three more days. Whew....

Lesson #101,563: Be careful of what you use on your ferret, even if it's a medicine designed for ferret use and the internet says it's fine.

CUPID HELPS WITH THE DISHES

So I took Cupid to see Dr. Dori on Wednesday evening. She spent a lot of time examining him. She told me his lungs sound great, but his spleen is enlarged and hard in one spot. Dr. Dori said it is common to see enlarged and hard spleens in ferrets ~ no one really knows why ~ so it may or may not mean something.

He's lost weight, which I was aware of. His glucose was 71. Dr. Dori still wants to wait until April 13 to repeat Cupid's x-rays. She thought maybe he was having some side effcts to the Lasix, so we reduced the dosage.

It appears that Cupid is improving somewhat. His tummy seems to feel better, although he still isn't eating so great. He gets up and mills around for a few minutes at a time ~ last night he even came in the kitchen and helped me unload the dishwasher!


Anyway, Dr. Dori was awesome. She really eased my mind. I'm doing everything right ~ now it's just a matter of waiting and watching. Hopefully, in a couple more weeks, we will be able to figure out what else is going on with Cupid (besides the insulimoma).

On top of this, Dave got really sick tonight and barfed all over the house. It looked like undigested Duck Soup, so I'm hoping it was just a matter of him overeating. Dave loves to eat.


Ugh --- I am exhausted.

MELTDOWN - PART TWO

I cried myself to sleep last night and I went to work today feeling incredibly bummed out. Cupid ate very little this morning and he went flat a couple of times before retreating into the community hammock under the bed.

I mentioned to a coworker/friend that I was having a hard time and was feeling useless today. Her only response was, "Ooohhh. And we are really busy today." No empathy or sympathy. No, "I'm so sorry" or a small hug. Just, "we're really busy".

Another coworker made the remark (and this one just blew my mind) that "perhaps I should take Cupid back to the lady (meaning the rescue) I got him from". What??????? Really?????

I don't expect anyone to get it. I'd just appreciate a little kindness around this thing. Shit. Just because Cupid is a ferret and not a dog or cat, people think I'm a freak.

Anyway, he is going to the vet tomorrow. I have an appointment for April 13, but I don't think I should wait. He needs to be looked at, pronto. Hopefully, it's not too late to help him. I did some research again today and I am certain he has a cardiomyopathy. Insulinoma, at this point, is the least of my little buddy's problems. I know they can give meds for heart issues in ferrets. It doesn't reverse anything, but at least they feel better. It's all I can hope for.

SPRING PHOTOS & CUPID'S ADVENTURE

Dave gets his Spring Photo done, but, because he is blind, he has a hard time getting the idea about what the heck he's supposed to be doing!! He just cracks me up! I gave him Ferratone and he loves, loves it!

OK, we were a bit more sucessful in the second photo:

Iz dis bettr, Mom?

Yesterday I took Cupid outside to explore the flowerbed. I wish I hadn't cut the top of his head off in this photo, but it's still so cute. He enjoys sniffing around outside, however, we had a Drama Moment when he slipped through a hole in the fence and went into the neighbor's yard!! I called him and he came back to me, thankfully! We won't be doing that again. Must get a playpen for outside romps...Anyway, that was enough excitement, so we came back in the house...

I called the vet this morning because I think Cupid is having an upset tummy. She prescribed some medicine I need to go pick up at the drugstore. He's going to the vet this evening to get his glucose rechecked. I'm thinking I'm going to buy a glucose meter soon, so I can check him at home. Milo is getting his second distemper shot, too. I hate that. I'm such a worrier......