Post by Tressie on Oct 3, 2009 16:35:28 GMT -4
Allister was found in the lobby of an apartment building in Ottawa and was taken to the Ottawa Ferret Rescue Society (FRSO) October 2007. He was in pretty bad shape and was found to have adrenal disease. He had an adrenalectomy shortly after he arrived. He had ongoing GI issues.
In March 2008, he was transported to New Brunswick through a collaborative effort between FRSO and FLSAC. He was adopted by a couple who added Allister to their business of 4 ferrets and 7 cats. Unfortunately, the couple subsequently split and the woman took Allister with her. She was not well herself and ended up being hospitalized while her boyfriend who didn’t know a lot about ferrets cared for Allister.
Because of her ongoing health issues and rehospitalizations, Allister’s adoptive mom surrendered him into our care in August 2009. Allister was fostered by Ashley in Moncton but he was a sick little boy and with one of her own having recently undergone two serious surgeries including an amputation, Allister came to Halifax on Monday into my care. While in her care, Ashley found he had insulinoma, very bad teeth and gums and had recurring rectal prolapse. She got veterinary care for him and he was put on antibiotics for his mouth issues and prednisolone for insulinoma. Ashley and his previous owner suspected he was also blind.
However, he was much, much sicker than any of us realized. He had been scheduled for a dental because of gum disease and an abscessed broken tooth. On examination and further investigation, Dr. Benoit discovered he had kidney disease and a high probability of lymphoma. He was too fragile to undergo general anaesthesia especially because of his kidney disease.
It was decided to put him on the highest dose of prednisolone and pain medication to manage his pain in the hopes he'd stabilize and have some quality of life before his condition deteriorated further. It seemed to help him for a few days but last night he got a lot worse, his lymph nodes blew up in size and he was whimpering whenever he went to the bathroom, plus he was losing control over his bowels and bladder, which was clearly distressing him. Even with increasing the frequency of the pain medication already at the maximum dose, it was no longer controlling his pain.
This morning with heavy heart I knew it was time to end his suffering. I took him to Dr. Amanda Schrage to be euthanized (Dr. Benoit is out of province). Dr. Schrage was sensitive and gentle to this poor little one. While there we also discovered that he had significant scarring in one eye from a probable past trauma to the eye and was likely blind in that eye. This little one had endured much pain in his all too brief life. In spite of that he was affectionate and loving throughout his ordeal. He would have been 4 years old in two days.
His little body was so ravaged with illness that he passed away quickly. Allister died peacefully in my arms and will be buried in the hammock he came with.
This is the seventh time I have made this painful journey with four of my own beloved fuzzbutts and three dear little fosters in the past year. Each time another crack is added to my heart…
Tressie
In March 2008, he was transported to New Brunswick through a collaborative effort between FRSO and FLSAC. He was adopted by a couple who added Allister to their business of 4 ferrets and 7 cats. Unfortunately, the couple subsequently split and the woman took Allister with her. She was not well herself and ended up being hospitalized while her boyfriend who didn’t know a lot about ferrets cared for Allister.
Because of her ongoing health issues and rehospitalizations, Allister’s adoptive mom surrendered him into our care in August 2009. Allister was fostered by Ashley in Moncton but he was a sick little boy and with one of her own having recently undergone two serious surgeries including an amputation, Allister came to Halifax on Monday into my care. While in her care, Ashley found he had insulinoma, very bad teeth and gums and had recurring rectal prolapse. She got veterinary care for him and he was put on antibiotics for his mouth issues and prednisolone for insulinoma. Ashley and his previous owner suspected he was also blind.
However, he was much, much sicker than any of us realized. He had been scheduled for a dental because of gum disease and an abscessed broken tooth. On examination and further investigation, Dr. Benoit discovered he had kidney disease and a high probability of lymphoma. He was too fragile to undergo general anaesthesia especially because of his kidney disease.
It was decided to put him on the highest dose of prednisolone and pain medication to manage his pain in the hopes he'd stabilize and have some quality of life before his condition deteriorated further. It seemed to help him for a few days but last night he got a lot worse, his lymph nodes blew up in size and he was whimpering whenever he went to the bathroom, plus he was losing control over his bowels and bladder, which was clearly distressing him. Even with increasing the frequency of the pain medication already at the maximum dose, it was no longer controlling his pain.
This morning with heavy heart I knew it was time to end his suffering. I took him to Dr. Amanda Schrage to be euthanized (Dr. Benoit is out of province). Dr. Schrage was sensitive and gentle to this poor little one. While there we also discovered that he had significant scarring in one eye from a probable past trauma to the eye and was likely blind in that eye. This little one had endured much pain in his all too brief life. In spite of that he was affectionate and loving throughout his ordeal. He would have been 4 years old in two days.
His little body was so ravaged with illness that he passed away quickly. Allister died peacefully in my arms and will be buried in the hammock he came with.
This is the seventh time I have made this painful journey with four of my own beloved fuzzbutts and three dear little fosters in the past year. Each time another crack is added to my heart…
Tressie
We love you precious babies !
