Penny passed away.

My little Penelope passed away yesterday by euthanasia at the vets. Six months ago I brought her in to see our vet becasue she wasn't doing so well. She was diagnosed with Lyphasarcoma. The vet gave me prednisolone to give to her, but the prediction on how long she would last was about six months, and it seems Penny fought it to the date. The meds did help her swing back for a time, she gained lots of weight, even started to play with the other ferrets, but in time the pred didn't seem to work, she seemed happy, but she kept loosing weight, and anything she ate didn't seem to help her. She was getting to be skin and bones, lethargic.. wanting to come out of her cage, but would just lay on the floor.

Yesterday I was getting worried that she seemed worse, wouldn't walk far, and was wobbly when she did. Even with the meds, Nuti-Cal, Nupro, Zupreem soup mix that she gladly ate, no changes. I could just tell Penny wasn't going to be around long and I didn't think she'd last more then a week, and my vet agreed. We discussed the options and decided it was best to put her to sleep. I didn't see much sense in bringing her home for a day or two where she would just lay around doing nothing becasue she was too weak - then just to bring her back and put her to sleep when she looked and felt worse off. But it was really hard, since she was more stimulated from being outside, she looked more lively then usual.

Selfishly I would have her live a few days longer until she felt horrible so that I could feel better, validated that she wasn't going to spring back, but that wouldn't have been right. I had this secret hope she would get better. Its more frustrating she was so young, two years at the most. I adopted her from a ferret shelter, she was one of a few ferrets that summer who were rescued from a home during a heat wave. We adopted her becasue she was so cute, white little feet, and the softest most lush ferret fur I ever felt!

First Tangy and now Penny , to much to handle so close together. I still have my three, Mint, Yuka and Penny and I hope I get a nice long stretch of healthy ferrets before anything comes up again. But Penny will be greatly missed. :(