Dweezil Louise was a very special girl. She was my very first ferret and my heart. Some say you never know what you had until you lose it, and I think that's true. I knew I loved Dweezil, but I never knew just how much she touched my life. I miss her Dweezil-kisses, and how she would come running to the sound of the froot loop bag being shaken. I miss her crawling into my sweatshirt through the sleeve and up through the neckhole to give me kisses. I miss having a shoulder ferret. She was a very smart little girl. Always into "trouble". :)

Dweezil and I had been through so much together....I got her when I was 15 going on 16 so we matured together. She and Opie accompanied me when I moved away from home for the first time. She was with me on every trip to IL we made. There came a time when we were no longer able to have our pets with us in our apartment and we moved them over to Jason's parent's house (whom I'm eternally grateful to). Separating from them was terrible. I hate not being around animals. Fortunately we were able to visit and care for them everyday. Right around the time we moved them to their new home we found out that Dweezil was showing signs of Adrenal disease.

For those that don't know about Adrenal, it's where the adrenal glands (which sit on top of the kidneys) enlarge or grow tumors. This causes an increase in sexual hormones, which can cause hairloss, aggression, annorexia, swelling in a female's vulva (which can result in a vaginal infection), prostate enlargement in the male (which can block the urinary tract), in females an increase in hormones can also lead to aplastic anemia (which is fatal). Sometimes there are also other illnesses the ferret has when it is diagnosed with Adrenal. Females are seen to get this disease more than males are. Usually the disease is seen in ferrets that are over the age of 3, but there are cases with younger ferrets involved. Fortunately, there are options for those ferrets that have Adrenal. The most successful procedure is surgery on the affected gland. However, there is also a medicinal route with the help of Lupron. Then of course, there is the option of doing nothing.

When we found out about Adrenal, Dweezil was 3. At that time our vet lived in IL and we were in the process of finding an regular/emergency vet in our area. Dweezil was nearly completely bald (and 4 y/o) by the time our vet gave a definite diagnosis of Adrenal. She was doing quite well, very active, normal eating and drinking habits, normal voiding habits. We went down the less traveled road and went without surgery. I know some would say "why in the world didn't you do surgery on her?", but I would have to answer that "I just couldn't see putting her through a surgery that would leave her with a rather large incision and that might or might not make her better." Other factors involved in our decision was that we could not find a vet in our area to perform the surgery, and the rates in our area for regular veterinary care is rather high. The nearest vet we could find was 2 hours away and that's too far away, in my opinion, to go in an emergency. Our decision might not be for everyone, but it worked for us. Without surgery Dweezil lived for 2 years with Adrenal...she was 5 years old. Seven years old is an average lifespan for a ferret, so Dweezil lived to a good age.

The day she died we were in our apartment and my mother-in-law had to come over and get us because she thought we were losing Dweezil. When we got there she was cold and unresponsive, but alive. I picked her up out of her hammock and wrapped her in a towel and held her close to me. I told her all about the Rainbow Bridge and that even though she didn't know any animals there, that she would be greeted by my friend's and family members' animals. I told her how much I loved her and how much I would miss her. I told her that we would look after Opie. I told her it was ok to leave....that we would all be ok. I told her that she would have an unlimited amount of froot loops at the Rainbow Bridge. I told her about when I first brought her home and all the things that were running through my head at that time. I told her that she was a good girl and that I would always think of her. It all came as such a shock, because she hadn't been acting unusual. She had slowed down in the last 6 months, but two days before she died she was fiesty. It all comes down to even if you think you're prepared for someone's death, you never really are. We made the decision to help her cross over to the Bridge around 4:00 pm Dec. 2nd, 2001. It was a very long and solemn ride to Saginaw, but for December it was an unusually warm and beautiful day. I like to think the Lord knew what he was taking from me and gave me a beautiful day in return. We buried Dweezil in a pet cemetery on Jason's Grandparent's land so we're able to visit her whenever we like. When it's Opie's time to cross the Bridge he will be laid to rest alongside Dweezil.

There has not been a day that has gone by that I have not thought of her. I used to cry all the time. Now I cry on the inside for the piece of my heart that is missing.

I love you, Dweezil Louise, and I always will.