ls84
Going Natural
Posts: 102
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Post by ls84 on Jan 20, 2011 22:52:28 GMT -5
Back in the summer I posted about a 5 year old ferret someone was giving away on craigslist. He was wobbly and thin. She had brought him to a local vet when he stopped eating, and when they suggested tests she refused treatment and put him on craigslist that night. When I saw the post I couldn't say no, and picked him up that night. She handed him to me at the door and said " do you want him?". That's it. Didn't want me to see the cage or anything. I took him to the vet after seeing him wobble that first night, and sure enough, he was diagnosed with insulinoma. He was in bad shape, and had obviously been suffering with it for a while. I quickly switched him to a raw diet and he was eating and sleeping with my other 5 ferrets, happy as can be. He never quite got the knack for playing and running, but I think just getting to sleep with the other ferrets made him happy. The raw diet improved his dry skin, he gained weight, and he never had an seizure or low blood sugar issue. He was running around the cage, eager for food just 3 days ago. Then he didn't eat his dinner 2 days ago on his own and yesterday morning I found him laying on on the bottom of the cage, not in a bed or sleep sack. I thought he had died, but the little guy was still breathing, very heavily, and he was twitching. I tried corn syrup on the gums, but I believe it was too late. He wasn't coming around. That night, after 6 months with him, we put him to sleep. He was almost 7 years old. I believe 100% that diet and friends is what kept him alive this long with such a high quality of life. I know he probably would have died a slow death with his former owner months ago. I miss him already, and I never knew I would have been so attached after only 6 months. We all miss you, Beaker.
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Post by bluemoose on Jan 20, 2011 23:00:03 GMT -5
I'm so sorry. What you did for him was amazing and you gave him the best life possible. In addition to a raw diet and ferret friends, the love he got from you sustained him and gave him a fantastic last six months. He's at the bridge now dooking and playing like he was never able to on this earth.
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Post by Heather on Jan 20, 2011 23:47:23 GMT -5
Thank you so much for stepping up to the plate and offering a home to a little one who would have died a horrible, scary and painful death alone. Your love and special care gave a little one a chance at love and furfriends that he would never have had the chance to have. It is so hard to believe how quickly the little ones can steal our hearts. Your gift of love has set him free. A candle is lit for a brave little boy who took his gift of love and ran with it. Run free little one, you have known a special love and care you are on another great adventure now. Tonight another star glows brightly in a dark sky, tonight another little fuzz has his key to the bridge and will wait patiently for his special person to find him again some day. Goodbye sweet Beaker, goodbye ciao
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Post by Jackie on Jan 21, 2011 1:24:08 GMT -5
I'm so sorry for your loss. Your little one will be greatly missed. Thank you for giving him love, friendship, warmth, and happiness for his life.
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Post by justahannah on Jan 21, 2011 2:21:09 GMT -5
I'm sorry...he sounds like such a lucky, beautiful boy.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 21, 2011 2:41:15 GMT -5
I'm so sorry...but find comfort in knowing that those last 6 or so months with you were probably the best he ever had, the love you gave him, fuzz friends, and great food....you took him in at his darkest moment and brightened his life forever...
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Post by mjohn143 on Jan 21, 2011 7:29:26 GMT -5
I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking this little guy in and showing him what love and happiness was.
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Post by bibliophiliac on Jan 21, 2011 7:40:34 GMT -5
You are such a wonderful person to take him in. Losing someone you love will never be easy, but something to keep in mind is that you gave him a reason to live longer. To me, it sounds like he was ready to give up with his previous owner, but realized there's a reason to keep going when you took him in. Now that he was safe and secure, he probably let himself go to the bridge.
DIP Beaker.
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jan 21, 2011 7:50:52 GMT -5
Thank you, oh thank you for taking this little one in when the world was down on him. You gave him the love he needed, and you were the reason why he had snuggle buddies at the end of the day for the last part of his life. He has his wings now, and by golly, he's probably planning the day when he can meet you at the bridge and help present you with yours. Thank you for doing what you did-it mattered the world to him.
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Post by kainslie on Jan 21, 2011 10:57:21 GMT -5
I'm so sorry, our hearts are with you!
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Post by sherrylynne on Jan 21, 2011 11:06:47 GMT -5
I firmly believe that once some of these so ill and traumatized little ones are finally able to know what love is, what friends are, and what a "home" is- they are finally able to slowly let their defenses down, and let go. And although I am truly sorry for your loss of this wonderful boy, please know that you gave him all of that. Thank you.
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Post by Heather on Jan 21, 2011 11:50:31 GMT -5
In so many of these cases this is the way. It is heartbreaking, but consider it that you have given even just one ferret a way to find peace, love and shelter. I know that it's so hard but the gift given in my opinion is so great and so cherished that it's well worth the cost. I've taken in a number who I know from the get-go that they don't have much of a life left. They need love too and sometimes it appears that it's all they're hanging on for. For those that offer that gift to a little furchild, even if it's just once, they hold a special place. This little one cherished his time with what became his friends and family. ciao
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candiceboggs
Going Natural
Ferrets are nature's anti-depressant.
Posts: 187
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Post by candiceboggs on Jan 24, 2011 4:36:47 GMT -5
I'm so sorry for your loss. The travesties that occur on Craigslist with ferrets are often unspeakable and it's terrible what this fuzzy had to go through at the hands of others. I am so happy to hear that in his last days he had someone to love him, play with him, and real food, like every fuzzy deserves.
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