Bongo & Mystic

In early September of 2008, our friend Lisette was in the pet store after

ferret food, when her eyes focused on a very old pair of ferrets up for

adoption. Being ferret-savvy, with ferrets of her own, she realized these

two were in trouble. They were thin & lethargic--and were

missing lots of fur on their necks & backs, and up their rumps. Both were

quite obviously adrenal. Both had diarrhea.

Knowing no one was going to adopt a couple of old, sick, balding ferrets, 

she decided to get them out of there. 

The people who had dumped off the ferrets had left their origional adoption

papers with them. The 12 oz. girl`s name was Mystic. She was a little

dark-eyed white. She was so weak she could barely lift her head. The

boy (Bongo) weighed just under 1 1/2 pounds. Both were 6 years old...

Because Lisette worked long hours, Bongo & Mystic came here for awhile, 

for monitoring, & supportive care.These two ferrets were extremely

bonded--and extremely ill.Although we were giving around the clock care,

it didn`t look good--especially for fragile little Mystic...

                                   Bongo and Mystic cuddling 

                                       **********

We lost Mystic five days later. Bongo lay with his head on her body for

nearly six hours. Ferrets can, & do grieve for lost companions if they are

closely bonded.

They can even grieve for a human they loved, who has left them behind at

a shelter. Many people don`t know that...

                                      ************

Slowly, Bongo responded to his lupron, began to recover from the grief of 

losing Mystic, & grew a beautiful new coat. The diarrhea was gone. He

gained some weight. He got to go home with his mommy Lisette.

                                      ************

Bongo then developed a sudden lump on his foot, and needed surgery to

remove it. The lab reported it as malignant. We had a benign lump

removed from Bongo`s neck, at the same time. 

The foot developed problems, and needed soaking twice daily.Of 

course, he had returned to the sanctuary, so that he could receive this 

constant care. (He has remained with us, ever since--both due to

his health, & the fact that he has adjusted so well.) 

                                        **********

About four months after surgery, he developed another huge lump on his

neck. If we left it alone, it would block the jugular vein in a very short

time. Because the lab report had come back negative for the growth on the

throat, we opted to try to remove the new lump.

We knew, going in, that due to its precarious location, we could lose him in

surgery. (It was sooooo close to the jugular vein!!!)  This turned out NOT

to be a recurrence of the first growth. It was just a big nasty cyst!!! Dr.

Katie did a marvelous job (as always!) 

Bongo recovered splendiferously!!! (Note the fluffy lupron coat that was

growing in, too!)

                                 Bongo, two hours post-surgery  

                                                **********

Below is a picture of Bongo at the end of 2009. He was over 7 years old,

in this photo. (Hard to believe!) and just look at his thick, beautiful new

coat! It`s a bit darker now, and somewhat more golden in color.

The lupron is working wonders with him. He feels GREAT!

                                   Bongo, at the end of 2009

Lisette visits regularly, helps out, and is a HUGE supporter of this

sanctuary. Together, we share the love of this beautiful old man...

UPDATE: April 19, 2010

We lost our Bongo today. He whimpered on the box a

little, when his mommy Lisette was here for a visit. We suspected a

bladder infection, or maybe even stones. We didn`t suspect a urinary

blockage, because he was on lupron. (We`ve never seen a urinary

blockage in a baby on lupron.) What Dr. Katie discovered was a

huge, golf ball-sized tumor on the bladder. This one wasn`t fixable. Bongo

was almost 8 years old. What a beautiful sweetheart he was...