Jenny
New member
Posts: 4
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Post by Jenny on Feb 3, 2018 19:11:16 GMT -5
Hi everyone.
My four year old ferret, Myka, passed away very unexpectedly last night. I was downstairs and heard what I now understand was her crying and went up to investigate. She was lying on the floor of her cage with part of a blanket clenched between her teeth. She wasn't rigid, but every ten seconds or so her body would spasm and her head would shake violently, out of control. It was an awful thing to witness.
I just don't understand why this happened. She hasn't been sick, she'd been eating and drinking. She was maybe a little bit extra sleepy earlier in the day? I've tried googling things and I'm not coming up with any satisfying answers, and maybe I'll never find one. How could there be a satisfying answer for something like this?
I'm posting here in the hopes that someone has seen something similar to this and will be able to offer me some insight as to what might have happened. She was my first ferret, the reason i love ferrets, and I can't believe she's gone.
Her friend Floki is alone now. He seems to be doing okay so far, but I will be watching him closely for signs of depression and sickness.
Thank you, Jenny
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Post by Aftershock on Feb 3, 2018 20:12:08 GMT -5
Do you mind me asking what diet she was on? Any medications?
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Jenny
New member
Posts: 4
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Post by Jenny on Feb 3, 2018 20:33:31 GMT -5
Go fresh and fit is the food they were both on. High in protein, all "real* ingredients, and no corn whatsoever. No medications at all.
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Post by LindaM on Feb 3, 2018 22:40:40 GMT -5
I would highly recommend a necropsy being done, as that can be helpful in finding the cause of death and can help with peace of mind or information that can be valuable in the future, hard as it is to think of it. Secondly, as you mention they'd been kibble-fed and she was around the 4yo mark.. did what was happening with her look similar to this video by chance? (Warning: It is a very heartbreaking video to watch, it shows a ferret in an insulinoma seizure.) holisticferretforum.com/health/insulinoma-2/correlation-between-insulinoma-and-improper-diet/
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Jenny
New member
Posts: 4
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Post by Jenny on Feb 4, 2018 0:53:37 GMT -5
Hi Linda. Thanks for your response. You were right about that video being heartbreaking But this wasn't what Myka experienced. While she did cry, she wasn't in a constant state of shaking/seizing like this poor baby. The only part of her that really shook was her head. Kind of side to side but at a really violent rate.
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Post by LindaM on Feb 4, 2018 1:08:12 GMT -5
Hmm, I'm gonna tag some of our more medically experienced admins, maybe they can shed a bit of light. Honestly, though a necropsy always remains the best bet, especially when you don't know what it may have been and it seemed to come on suddenly and unexpected. Sherry, Heather, katt, any ideas guys?
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Post by Sherry on Feb 4, 2018 10:20:16 GMT -5
It does indeed sound like a seizure. But there can be a variety of things that can cause them. The two most common are low bg and a brain/spinal tumour. The only way to know would be a necropsy. I am so very sorry you had to experience this, no matter the reason
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Post by unclejoe on Feb 4, 2018 11:11:41 GMT -5
I'm really sorry for your loss...
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Jenny
New member
Posts: 4
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Post by Jenny on Feb 4, 2018 16:30:19 GMT -5
Thank you to everyone for your condolences. A necropsy isn't an option unfortunately, I honestly didn't even think about that when I took her in for cremation. I'll never know for sure what happened, I can only hope it wasn't something I did. I'm sure I'll eventually stop crying.
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Post by Heather on Feb 4, 2018 21:33:37 GMT -5
I'm so sorry and will light a travelling candle for your little one. It indeed sounds like a seizure, they don't all have to be as violent as what is exhibited in the video. It's horrific to witness just the same, as it leaves you feeling helpless. ciao
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Post by abbeytheferret6 on Feb 5, 2018 5:12:17 GMT -5
Jenny, I am so sorry.
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