Lilly is Gone

[Jay_Bunny]

Yesterday was horrible but this morning was even more horrible. Lilly, our smallest female ferret, had been losing weight steadily for a few weeks. I figured it was just the introduction of our newest male, Zeke, and maybe he was bullying her and not letting her eat, so we started giving her extra feedings, and even supplemented with kibble (something I hate doing and PLEASE do not start a debate about kibble vs raw. I feed my kids what I think is best for them, and you feed what you think is best for yours. End of story). At first she felt like she was gaining a few ounces. (we were not weighing her but she just felt like it) Yesterday morning I went in to give them their morning meal and I found Lilly laying on the bottom of the cage, completely motionless. We rushed her to the vet and they immediately got an iv in her. They said she was severely dehydrated. She made it through the night but we got the call this morning that she had passed away. We are getting an autopsy done to make sure it isn't something the other ferrets could have caught. It all happened so fast. One day she's happy and being a normal ferret and the next she is gone. My husband and I are devastated and he's taking it really hard.

We are getting the ferrets a check up at the vet asap to make sure there is nothing wrong with the others. The other four are in good health(from what we can tell) and are at a normal weight, but we just want to make sure.

[Joey'D]

I am very sorry for your loss.
The hardest part i think at least right now, is the frustration of not knowing what was wrong.
I hope you get some results that are positive to your remaining brood, and maybe also allow you to have some closure on the situation and be able to move forward with a positive feeling.
A feeling holding on to the memories that you have and will cherish for many years to come.

[joepythons]

Aww so sorry

[BPelizabeth]

Wow I am so sorry to hear about your baby! That is always so hard to loose one of your pets as they are your family too.

[j_h_smith]

Sorry to hear about your unexpected loss. I feel you are doing the right thing getting check ups for your other ferrets. Seems like you're doing everything correct.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

[Boanerges]

Sorry for your loss I hope your other ferret's get a clean bill of health at the vet's office

[Jay_Bunny]

The vet said they could find nothing wrong with her. No signs of disease or infection. She said everything looked normal...except that her digestive system was unusually clean. She said it looked like she had not eaten in a while. I did find what, at first, looked like uneaten food mixed in with their poo. It was probably regurgitated since it looked somewhat digested. I know I saw her eat. I made sure she ate every day. I even brought her downstairs into the kitchen, put her in my lap and hand fed her, so I know she was eating. I should have paid better attention when I was cleaning. Maybe I would have seen if she was regurgitating her food. I've been cleaning their cage 2-3x a day but all their poo looks normal and they are drinking and peeing normally.

Well the good news is the other 4 should be fine. We are not going to rush them to a vet right now but they will ALL be getting a check up within the next week or two. The cats and dog as well. The ferrets and cats are due for their shots anyway.

[j_h_smith]

The vet said they could find nothing wrong with her. No signs of disease or infection. She said everything looked normal...except that her digestive system was unusually clean. She said it looked like she had not eaten in a while. I did find what, at first, looked like uneaten food mixed in with their poo. It was probably regurgitated since it looked somewhat digested. I know I saw her eat. I made sure she ate every day. I even brought her downstairs into the kitchen, put her in my lap and hand fed her, so I know she was eating. I should have paid better attention when I was cleaning. Maybe I would have seen if she was regurgitating her food. I've been cleaning their cage 2-3x a day but all their poo looks normal and they are drinking and peeing normally.

Well the good news is the other 4 should be fine. We are not going to rush them to a vet right now but they will ALL be getting a check up within the next week or two. The cats and dog as well. The ferrets and cats are due for their shots anyway.

Has anyone in your houshold had the flu lately (say in the last 60 days)? The reason for me asking is that the flu can be transferred mammal to mammal. It doesn't happen very often but it can. This could possible be the cause. Check with the vet, and see if this should be of concern.

Again, sorry for your loss,
Jim Smith

[Jay_Bunny]

Nobody has been sick here for a long time, so I doubt that was an issue. The vet just thinks she either wasn't getting enough food in her or just wasn't digesting it. The other 4 have always eaten fine. I had a slight weight issue with Twitch when she was younger but she's been back up to a good weight for months. She is the most ferocious ferret I have. She doesn't let anyone take her food away. Lilly was always the timid one though. She would let herself get pushed away from the food or she would eat very very slowly so by the time everyone was full to bursting, she had only had a few bites. When I saw her start to lose the weight I intervened by hand feeding her ground food and fattier foods. (like the skin off chicken and things like that) and she was eating it just fine but I guess she wasn't keeping it down or maybe it passed right through her and I just didn't notice.

[Chocolate Muffin's]

This is very sad, I'm so, so, sorry. I agree with the others who have said, you have done everything right.

My thoughts are with you...