Post by joseph on Sept 1, 2017 3:06:36 GMT -5
I'm not really good at this sort of thing, but I wanted to put this out there.
Two months ago, I took in a 6 year old girl, Coda. She had been abandoned at my local pet shop, with a note.. The story, as best I could figure out, is that her human passed away. A family member took her in, and then decided they could not care for her. So the best option they could come up with, was putting her in her carrier, and putting it and the rest of her things, in a cardboard box, and leaving it in front of the store with a note.
I happened to come in later that day, and them knowing me (we are friends), they took me to her and explained. I have never seen a more depressed ferret in my life. I took her home.
I have had some experience with ferret depression. I thought I could save her. I was wrong.
She was a lone ferret, just her and her human. I believe they loved each other very much. My previous experience was with my own ferrets, having one of a pair pass away. I didn't account for the bond they already also had with me. There was no bond with Coda and I.
Although she was fairly affectionate with me, she lost her will to live more and more each day. It was as if she was saying, "Thanks for taking care of me, but I really miss my human, and I don't care to be around anymore now that he/she is gone.". She ate sparingly, and would reject even my hand feeding her. She would not take even more than a few ml of soup with a dropper or syringe. I took her to my vet. He suggested a few things. Everything I tried, failed.
I checked on her one evening, and she was in the same position she had been in the last time I looked in on her. I picked her up and found she had soiled herself. She was unresponsive, in that deep sleep way they sometimes fall into, so I tried a little Pickle Juice under her nose.. nothing. I took her in to clean her up, and she wouldn't even hold her head above water. She came around a bit as I dried her, but couldn't hold her head up. Then she started to have mini seizures. I took her to the vet. After a thorough check up, and a heartfelt discussion, I made the decision to end her suffering.
I sat with her in my arms, stroking her and trying to comfort her for a while. When the time came, I kept her in my arms, and it was over in less than three seconds. A short hitch in her breathing, and then she was gone. I don't believe she felt any pain at all.
It was the hardest thing I've had to do in a long while. I wish there was something more I could have done for her. I feel like I failed. I'm sorry, Coda. I really tried.
Coda was a beautiful, gentle ferret. Even in her depression, she took the time to give a kiss every so often. She was here, and she will be remembered.
Two months ago, I took in a 6 year old girl, Coda. She had been abandoned at my local pet shop, with a note.. The story, as best I could figure out, is that her human passed away. A family member took her in, and then decided they could not care for her. So the best option they could come up with, was putting her in her carrier, and putting it and the rest of her things, in a cardboard box, and leaving it in front of the store with a note.
I happened to come in later that day, and them knowing me (we are friends), they took me to her and explained. I have never seen a more depressed ferret in my life. I took her home.
I have had some experience with ferret depression. I thought I could save her. I was wrong.
She was a lone ferret, just her and her human. I believe they loved each other very much. My previous experience was with my own ferrets, having one of a pair pass away. I didn't account for the bond they already also had with me. There was no bond with Coda and I.
Although she was fairly affectionate with me, she lost her will to live more and more each day. It was as if she was saying, "Thanks for taking care of me, but I really miss my human, and I don't care to be around anymore now that he/she is gone.". She ate sparingly, and would reject even my hand feeding her. She would not take even more than a few ml of soup with a dropper or syringe. I took her to my vet. He suggested a few things. Everything I tried, failed.
I checked on her one evening, and she was in the same position she had been in the last time I looked in on her. I picked her up and found she had soiled herself. She was unresponsive, in that deep sleep way they sometimes fall into, so I tried a little Pickle Juice under her nose.. nothing. I took her in to clean her up, and she wouldn't even hold her head above water. She came around a bit as I dried her, but couldn't hold her head up. Then she started to have mini seizures. I took her to the vet. After a thorough check up, and a heartfelt discussion, I made the decision to end her suffering.
I sat with her in my arms, stroking her and trying to comfort her for a while. When the time came, I kept her in my arms, and it was over in less than three seconds. A short hitch in her breathing, and then she was gone. I don't believe she felt any pain at all.
It was the hardest thing I've had to do in a long while. I wish there was something more I could have done for her. I feel like I failed. I'm sorry, Coda. I really tried.
Coda was a beautiful, gentle ferret. Even in her depression, she took the time to give a kiss every so often. She was here, and she will be remembered.