Denise’s Delightful Dookers Ferret Rescue 2006 Ferret/Rabbit Rescue Grant Update This pilot project provides surgery for ferrets, in order to make them adoptable, and has found its very first success story in Lancelot because Ferretdepot.com and Rabbitstop.com felt led to give a grant award to DDDFR. Lancelot came to DDDFR August 8, 2006, because a 22 year old young man didn’t know what else to do with him and he didn’t have time for them anymore. He told me (Denise) that the vet didn’t know what was wrong with Lancelot, however, he didn’t even know the vet’s name or where the clinic was. Did he really take them to the vet? Hmm. Lancelot came with another ferret named Gwayne and they really didn’t get along. Gwayne was very alpha and play, play, play. Lancelot was easy going and just let me explore and sleep. A few weeks after they came, they were separated and Lancelot was more comfortable. Lancelot’s hair was sparse and what there was a gorgeous cinnamon color. He was thin, and yet ate well. When “soup” was given to him, the area in-between his eyes swelled. The vet said it was an allergic reaction to something…we didn’t know to what. We had to be careful what we fed him—he got Totally Ferret and soup with only Totally Ferret in it and just loved it. His “doodle” (poop) was always soft, almost diarrhea soft and had an odor that pierced the air and repulsed the olfactory senses…ugh. Lancelot was basically a “blank page”. He didn’t know how to play, showed no emotions, slept a lot, and really didn’t know what to do with us hoomans. Because of his physical problems, he was taken to Little Dudes Ferret Ranch Hospice for a month. Nothing changed. When time came to pick him up, Teri, a volunteer at DDDFR with 2 of her 6 ferrets-at that time-went with me. She picked Lancelot up, hugged on him and he got all excited. She introduced him to Grayson and Pippen and he followed them around, made friends and actually played the whole 90 min we were there. What a change!! Teri and Brandon became foster parents to this precious dooker -- health issues and all. In January 2007 the board at DDDFR made the decision for Lancelot to have adrenal surgery. And on January 2007 Lancelot sailed through surgery and went home with Teri and Brandon and started healing. Teri and Brandon adopted Lancelot and he had a permanent home for the rest of his life (little did we know it would be a short one). Lancelot weasel war danced for them, got into all kinds of things…like a ferret should, learned to interact with the more “active” ferrets at Teri’s house. Lancelot even smiled. That picture is included in this report. February brought questions and more health problems for precious Lancelot. He started losing weight, sleeping more, and his “doodle” was now horrible smelling diarrhea. He was hydrated Friday, Feb. 9th in the evening and went to the vet on Feb. 10th. Lancelot was in bad shape. The vet said he had an ulcer and also found what could be a growth in his abdomen, he was more dehydrated than on Friday, and he was grinding his teeth (he was in pain). The decision was made to help him over the Rainbow Bridge, much to our hearts dismay). A necropsy was performed and the vet found that Lancelot’s liver was in very, very bad shape. He had a form of “hepatic lipidosis” (commonly found in cats and guinea pigs). His body was absorbing the fat and not the nutrients in the food he was eating. We believe this occurred because of the lack of care and lack of good food he had to live with before he came to DDDFR. Teri, still volunteers at DDDFR and is known as the “Patron Saint of Depressed Ferrets”. She now has 8 ferrets. Of those 8, 2 were terribly neglected and were “blank pages”. Grayson and Pippen are their names and are now happy, ornery, “normal” ferrets (as normal as can be expected considering what they have been thru). They love both Teri and her husband Brandon very, very much and Brandon has become very, protective of these two around the other 6 playful dookers. Lancelot and his surgery was a HUGE SUCCESS to all the volunteers and myself at Denise’s Delightful Dookers Ferret Rescue. He was given, clean soft blankets, fresh food daily, clean water daily, clean potty box, lots of cuddling, lovin’ and got to play outside of his cage daily and a lot of needed extra care. He came in a “blank page” and left us SMILING, knowing love, fun, interaction with other ferrets, and the true love of humans. As we continue this project we now know there will be other ferrets that will benefit from these experiences. This is just the beginning. We have seen some ferrets with adrenal disease that have had their blood sugar drop like it does with Insulinoma. After the surgery, their blood sugar has risen within normal range and they have been taken off of the medicine. One example of this is PATCHES. Patches had adrenal disease and we thought Insulinoma. He had surgery in December and by the first of January, he was adopted out to a wonderful family (one of DDDFR’s volunteers and they even paid for his surgery) and he was taken off of Prednisolone and putting on weight. He now has a little pudgy belly and he’s getting Totally Ferret and “soup” a few times a week. Plus he is spoiled rotten with his new family. (HURRAY!!) I’m not saying that this is “always” the case…but it does make me wonder how many ferts have not gotten a home because their adrenal disease lowered their blood sugar and people have thought it was Insulinoma. ADRENAL SURGERY IS VITAL TO THE WELL BEING OF THE FERRET!!!! I firmly believe that without this surgery many ferrets will not have a forever home and will have to live in a ‘shelter’ environment the rest of their lives. Thank you Ferretdepot.com and Rabbitstop.com for making this project possible and bringing hope to precious ‘dookers’ lives. We look forward to more success stories in the future and will keep you informed. Denise Cummings, owner and lover of dookers Denise’s Delightful Dookers Ferret Rescue INTRODUCTION to Lancelot’s parents and Patches parents Introduction to Lancelot’s parents: Teri (and Brandon) adopted Penny & Sampson from DDDFR so Nikita had a friend to play with. She let DDDFR know how they were doing and one day read the Washington Ferret Review about ‘Cacao’ (now Grayson). Her heart broke and s he KNEW getting him was meant to be and she e-mailed me because she wanted to come over and see him. Second email said she wanted to volunteer, third email told me that she was on her way over to meet ‘Cacao’. (All 3 emails were over an hour and a half time). She walked in the ‘ferretorium’ picked up ‘Cacao’ and he wouldn’t let her put him down. It was love at first sight. She left long enough to go get her other 3 ferrets and let them meet ‘Cacao’. Cacao loved them. He didn’t know how to play, so he watched them and followed them. Teri said that this was definitely meant to be. She took him home and fostered him for a couple of months, and then adopted him. What makes Cacao so special is that he too was a “blank page”. He wasn’t interested in anything and didn’t know how to play. He looked like all was hopeless…..until Teri came along. Cacao only had half of his ears, his back feet were badly deformed, and he had 3 teeth that HAD to be removed (he did have surgery and the facial form changes quite a bit). This precious dooker had been left outside and had gotten frostbit and had parts of him cut off. The people left him in a cage with just enough food to keep him alive, dirty water, only a hammock, did not clip his nails and he would get caught in the hammock and tear out toe nails. When he came to DDDFR a mother and daughter told us a little bit about him and the people before them and that they just didn’t have time for him…(why, because of his health?). My husband took him out of the carrier and Cacao looked at him like “What did I do wrong?” My husband broke down and cried that night after they left. It tore his heart out and because of Cacao my husband is not only DDDFR’s biggest backer, but he now helps with the geriatric or sick ferrets…they are his to make comfortable and provide them with whatever they need. Pippen also was fostered first by Teri & then adopted. Pippen came with Merry but they didn’t really get along. Merry wanted to play and Pippen wanted to play speedbump. I called Teri one day and she came over to meet Pippen. She brought all 4 of her ferrets (just in case) and they too met Pippen. Pippen clung to Teri. When she put him down to meet the others, he dug his claws into her shirt and she just cradled him and he calmed right down and sighed. Just a few minutes later, Pippen was put down on the floor to meet the others and they really liked him. Pippen did not reject their advances to play, but acted shy and watched. He went over to the carrier that they came in and went to the back of it and wouldn’t come out. We pretty well figured that meant, “let’s go home, mom”. Off they went and a couple months later, Teri (and Brandon, husband) adopted him too. Shortly after they adopted him, Pippen showed signs of Insulinoma. He is now on meds and soup and doing great living with a precious loving dooker family. Linda and Roger came to DDDFR looking for 2 ferrets and left with 4. They are doing ferret math and now have 11. Linda can’t wait to come home and lie on the floor and have them love on her and play with her. It is the most relaxing time she has all day. These wonderful people have gone so far to adopt a dooker that had adrenal disease then made sure he had surgery. They have purchased a very nice scale, Freestyle glucometer and wants to adopt another ferret with Insulinoma. Patches as shown in the picture has gained weight and is doing great at their home. He holds his own with all the other ferts and loves Linda and Roger. FUTURE ADRENAL CANDIDATES Gizmo Gizmo is approximately 3.5 yrs old. She came out of deplorable conditions and was with 2 other ferrets. Gizmo is adrenal. She is “Miss Personality Plus” and will be adopted out with Edna (they’re best friends now). She needs surgery and we know they will be adopted. JieJie JieJie came to DDDFR with another girl ferret named MieMie. The people had no time for them. She is 3 yrs old and adrenal and is another “Personality Plus” gal. She loves to let you know she’s around and in no uncertain terms are you going to ignore her. She climbs, jumps and gets into everything. She’s very precious. She keeps her cage (the “Cuties”) hopping. She also just loves on the ones with Insulinoma by letting them cuddle with her. Rosco Rosco has had at least 4 homes. He is approximately a 3 yr old gorgeous blaze with adrenal disease. His blood sugar is low, but does not have insulinoma. He loves to be held—for a short time and he has to get out and boogey with the others. He is in the “Go-Buggies” cage (16 dookers) and really enjoys himself. Ruby Roo Ruby came to DDDFR with 2 other very playful ferrets. She is quietly playful, LOVES to be held and fussed over and follows Denise all over the “Ferretorium” wanting her attention. She is sweet, loving, precious and enjoyable. She is in the “Cuties” cage and enjoys her friends. She is approximately 2.5 yrs old. Gizzmo Gizzmo is approximately 2-3 years old, and an “all boy” dooker. He is in the cuties cage with one other guy and 9 girls…wooohooo. He LOVES to play and the rougher the better. Don’t hug him; you will interrupt his fun time. He does like us to just give him a kiss (yea right) but put him down immediately after. There’s really no order to having the surgeries and the others-not shown here-have Adrenal Disease and Insulinoma. People don’t understand the concept of “Sponsoring” and the help and pleasure it gives the DDDFR staff to see someone care. It is heartbreaking. We hope to see these gorgeous dookers have surgery and go to “forever” spoiling, loving homes. Thank you for your generous Grant award. It is making a difference. ADRENAL/INSULINOMA DOOKERS (Just a few) Drake Drake is bi-lateral adrenal. He has had the left adrenal gland removed however, the right one could not be removed. He also has Insulinoma. He is like a puppy dog and follows everyone around wanting lots and lots of attention. Lucas Lucas is older and may not make it through surgery. He now has cataracts and is slowing down. He is such a sweetheart and tries his darndest to weasel war dance to get one of us to play with him. Misty Misty is over 6 yrs old and also has insulinoma as well as adrenal disease. She is such a sweetheart and loves attention—she also loves to play with her cage mates in the “Business” cage. Her health is slowly failing, but her spirit is sure bright. Sadie-Fur Sadie-fur was so named because there was already a Lucifer. She really is a pip of a ferret. She was very, very playful, ornery and sly. Because she has insulinoma and adrenal disease, she has slowed down and is so mellow and sweet. Mischief Mischief was named correctly. He used to be such a snoop, and get into everything because he was curious and then cause havoc wherever he went. Now because of adrenal disease and insulinoma he has really slowed down and plays for about 2-3 minutes then goes and lies down. There are just some of the ones that need sponsors to care. They will live out their lives at DDDFR and be loved on and cared for by the staff.

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