Another New Newsletter

We're trying to get at least one newsletter out each week. The new one features articles on shedding, the 'flu, and keeping a single ferret happy:

http://www.ferretnews.com/issues/ferret-news-55.html

If you haven't already read Newsletter #54, you should go read it (see the link in my post from Feb 22). If you aren't signed up for e-mail alerts telling you when the new newsletter is available online, you might want to do so at ferretnews.com

Otherwise, you might just want to pick a day and check the website for a new newsletter. We will probably be making a few more usability adjustments to the website to make it easier for you to get to the newest newsletter. Right now, you have to go to the archives and read the newsletter at the top of the list. (But if you sign up for e-mail alerts, you'll get a link directly in the e-mail.)

Gabby Is Adjusting

Gabby seems to be adjusting to being an only ferret. The other night we had to keep her in the cage overnight and she only fussed a little. Yesterday I played with her for a long while, and she had such fun. It's nice to see her log-rolling and hopping around.

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Not much else is new. I've been filling out my web site on depression (http://www.depressionplace.com). Someday I might actually finish it! I realize this has very little to do with ferrets, but depression is a common illness, and with recent findings showing that people with depression are at increased risk for heart disease, I feel it's necessary to do what I can to help others who have depression and/or dysthymic disorder (chronic depression).


That's it for now. --Mary

New Newsletter

We've been trying to write a lot of newsletters for the www.FerretNews.com site. Since we can't really e-mail them to people (too many mail filters filter out the newsletter), you will find them all up on the web site. So go check out Newsletter #54 -- it's got a very important article about the high cost of owning ferrets.

That's all for now.

http://www.ferretnews.com/issues/ferret-news-54.html

--Mary

Trixie Is Gone

Trixie had a stress-free night on Tuesday night. She had a few licks of baby food here & there, but nothing forced. The only thing we "put her through" was the subq fluids (because they made her more comfortable).

Trixie in her famous pose:


Trixie in a Security Cube:


Wednesday afternoon we took her for her final needle (she was getting pretty tired of those needles!). I asked her to say hello to everyone up there. I told her she'd be able to beat the crap out of Koosh again. I swear she smirked. I also said a silent prayer, asking my mom to watch over Trixie as I know she's watching over all my other little fur babies. She and my Uncle George (her brother) are on pet patrol for our family in Heaven (I didn't know this; my cousin Amanda told me).

She went very peacefully. The sedative kicked in quickly (which was good, since they had a hell of a time finding a vein -- she never flinched or made a sound). I was petting her soft little head the whole time, even after she was gone (first it was for her, then for me).

Dr. Ned explained Trixie's sad situation well: She used to have two kidneys that didn't work well and now she only has one kidney that doesn't work well. There was no getting better, but I had hoped we could get her to a quality of life that was worth staying around for. But when she started the other night with the shivering and pushing away food before she'd eaten as much as I wanted her to and getting confused (she actually pooped on our bed -- which she would never do) ... we knew we'd given her all the worthwhile quality of life we could.

Though I would have liked to have her for 20 more years (at least!), I know that she lived a good ferret life and that, at the end, Eric and I gave her a release from any pain or aggravation she was having. She's now with all her friends -- there's a big stinky pile of sleeping ferrets in Heaven tonight.

--Mary