Tribute to Missy Moo Moo

Miss Moo Moo (Missy) came to the shelter with two other ferrets about 3 or so years ago as a result of a criminal case. She (along with her two brothers) stayed at the shelter as they had various health issues. At that time, she was adrenal--later on she developed insulinoma along with a massive growth in her abdomen.

When I met her a few years ago, she was a little bald fiesty scrawny girl. She had a tuft of fur on her head and all four ankles and that was about it. She was one of the first ferrets to whom we gave Meletonin implant. After the implant, she gained weight and grew her luxurious fur back--although she was still feisty (not a mean fiesty, she just didn't take crap from anyone....LOL) She loved her babies (little stuffed animals) and would carry them around the room with her (even if they were bigger than her) and WOE to the ferret that tried to mess with her babies--they soon learnedwhy Miss Moo was the boss of the room!!

For the past couple months, she hadn't been doing so hot and we nursed her along as best we could. It seemed her insulinoma was getting worse and the abdomenal growth was getting pretty significant--We just nursed her and kept an eye on her--she'd bounced back before.

For the past week, she's been fighting her medicine and yesterday, her back end stopped working. She wasn't in pain, she was dragging herself around the room, but it was obvious that it was neurological and the growth had pressed something in her spine. Through yesterday and today, she started to develop sores (because she was having problems eliminating)

We brought her to the dr a short time ago and the three of us made the decision to help her over the bridge. Almost to the moment she passed, she was still our fiesty little missy moo--who seemed to have the will, but her little body was just giving out on her.

I think that this is when it's the hardest for me--not when they seem to have given up and you can tell they are done--but when their little bodies are totally breaking down...but that spark still seems to be flickering.

They are all special--but there was something extraordinary about Miss Moo. She almost made it to her tenth birthday--but now she is at the bridge and is running around with her brothers and other friends from the shelter.

Good bye Miss Moo--it won't be the same without you. Mama and Aunty love you more than we can express. Rest well, until we meet again.