Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2013 20:04:24 GMT -5
Had to suddenly and very unexpectedly say goodbye to Shelby a week ago today, and I'm still reeling...
He was one of my "healthy" kids, ie. no adrenal/ insulinoma/ other, which was why it was so unexpected.
Last Saturday night I went to go check on everyone and medicate all my sickies, when I noticed right away he wasn't leaving his hammock to come help himself to Marcy's chicken baby food which he normally does. He is deaf, but usually he catches on once everyone else starts running for their "treats". I went to pull him out and he was SO lethargic, my first thought was hypoglycemia, so I gave him his own big helping of chicken baby food which he happily gobbled up. I cuddled him for a few minutes then set him down, and he immediately flat-ferreted and wouldn't move. Off to emerg we went...
After a fight trying to get his temp he passed a small volume of jelly-poop with a tiny bit of blood, but we assumed it was a bit of trauma from the thermometer as his stools had been normal up until then. They ran a BG which came back normal, but the vet (also named Shelby) suggested they keep him for a few hours to run a fasted BG in case it was normal from the chicken baby food I'd given him. She felt nothing unusual in his abdomen; no masses, no enlarged organs. In hindsight he'd also lost weight. I went home and waited. At two AM I received the phone call and they told me his BG was still normal, so we elected to run a full panel to see if they were any other abnormalities. About five minutes later I got another phone call saying they were having no luck getting his blood (that's definitely him!!) and would I ok a quick sedation. I consented and they bounced him quickly under ISO.
I received another call a while later, and he was getting worse. He was taking a LONG time waking up from the sedation and was cold, and his abdomen at this point was starting to swell. I consented to radiographs and starting IV fluids to help try and warm him faster. They next time they called, they said it looked like his belly was full of fluid, which they confirmed with a quick ultrasound and centesis. He'd also passed several more bloody stools and had vomited up the baby food. The vet suspected GI lymphoma and he'd perforated; he was going downhill very quickly. They gave him buprenorphine to make him more comfortable until my husband and I were able to get there and say goodbye.
Looking back, we had him for five wonderful years (him and his sister Marcy were my first fosters with the local rescue, I got them when they were about a year and a half old, which would make him about six and a half). They were both severe fear biters, having come from a neglectful, abusive home, and it took a long time before they'd trust me, and even longer before they would trust my husband. When I called the rescue to let them know there was no way they could go anywhere else and we'd love to adopt them, the person I spoke to said, "Congratulations!! You've failed at fostering!" I've failed many times since...
Shelby was such a unique little soul with so much spunk, he'd randomly start war dancing all by himself and I always said he was dancing to his own little tune that only he could hear. I called him my little rainman ferret because he was always begging to be picked up and then it was immediately "PUT ME DOWN PUT ME DOWN PUT ME DOWN!!!" Only in the past couple months he'd come to relish a good cuddle. I miss him so much, and can't believe he's gone.
Dancing to his own music...
DIP Shelby
) I will light a candle for wee Shelby to guide his wee paws on to his next great adventure. Run swiftly, dance wildly to the music that plays in your head. The pain is gone, your heartkey hangs around your neck. You are the wind, the stars, the song in the trees....you are the memory that comes on soft paws in dreams. Run swiftly little one, you are not alone, greet those that have gone before, play well. Gentle journey wee one.
