Kindness Matters Ferret Rescue, Acworth GA

08/30/2026

I just had someone call and ask about coming to visit the ferrets. I explained, as I always do, that I limit the people around the ferrets because they can catch human ailments like Covid, the flu, and respiratory infections and can die. The person laughed at me and said good try. You know there's a vaccine for Covid now and it's dead! Are you kidding me? Are there still people out there that believe this? Apparently, because there was someone in the background reiterating it. OMG. I sent them info that vaccines don't prevent Covid, just keep you from getting as sick and that the CDC notes that Covid is growing in 2026. Then I said a prayer for their enlightenment.

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

More new items added to the auction today! Click on the link below to see all the auction items and to bid. Please share!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/887747526065183

08/29/2026

New auction is up and running! Below are just a few of the items posted. More will be added daily. Check out the page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/887747526065183. Please share!

08/28/2026

Big shout out and thanks to:
< Diane Loria for donating a box of collectible items for auction. The new auction starts today and these items will be posted.
< Jola James for donating a 27" iMac computer, Android tablet, iPad, keyboard, mouse x 2.
< Heidi Seymour for $100 donation.
< Jarheads Woodworking for a new digital camera so I can have a camera handy to take pics instead of having to look for my phone.
< Person who sent the $20 Chewy.com gift certificate.
Donations are appreciated so much and used with a very grateful heart.

08/28/2026

Seymour Butts was a favorite ferret here. He was an older boy and so sweet. His adoptive family brought him by often. Sadly, he was put down yesterday. I was sobbing. His owner awakened yesterday to him frantically trying to urinate and not being able to do so or leaking as he was trying. This is an emergency situation and requires an immediate vet visit, as the bladder can rupture.

If a ferret is having problems urinating, it's not just painful, it is a very serious problem. If enough urine backs up in the bladder, the bladder can rupture. This is an incredibly traumatic and painful way to die.

If there's pain, the ferret isn't going to eat or drink enough. Without enough fluids, (whether from urinary tract problems, stones or prostate issues), the kidneys are strained trying to filter poisons from the bloodstream. Enough strain on the kidneys results in them breaking down and renal failure occurs. Renal failure means death. Depending upon the ferret's age and health, this could be as fast as a couple of days.

Below are symptoms of urinary tract problems, which include urinary tract infection, kidney stones, bladder stones, urinary tract crystals, prostate swelling, preputial gland enlargement, and more. Any of these symptoms should be seen by a vet.
< Blood in urine
< Straining to urinate
< Showing signs of pain when urinating (whimpering, grimacing, eyes watering)
< Dribbles urine after walking away (indicates there's still urine in the bladder that's not being expelled due to pain)
< Urine is really concentrated yellow (indicates urine is being held due to pain or not enough fluid intake)
< Urine is brown (can indicate blood in urine or being held due to pain)
< Not urinating every few hours like normal (can indicate urine is being held due to pain)
< Urinating large amounts at one time (can indicate urine is being held due to pain)
< Solids in urine that is not stool (as seen in pic)
< Frequent defecation (can indicate the colon is being aggravated from bladder or prostate swelling or from pain)
< Swelling around the p***s or v***a.

Ways to prevent a UTI: Keep the litter box clean! Give water from a bowl, rather than a bottle. Have water available on at least two levels of the cage, as well as in each room where the ferret is allowed to play. Give the ferret a tub or pan of water with toys in it to play in. It will drink water every time it's playing. I put mine in the bath tub.

08/28/2026

FERRET SURGERY
If your ferret needs to have surgery, the vet will usually want to see the ferret first. Call and try to make an appointment for the office visit and surgery on the same day. That way it's all done in one day and isn't nearly as hard on the ferret. Try to schedule the surgery for a day when the vet is working the next day, in case of any complications.

If your ferret is scheduled to have surgery, find out what time the vet actually performs surgeries. Plan to have the ferret there 1 1/2 - 2 hours before the actual surgery time. (So, if the vet does surgery at noon, plan to make your appointment for 10:00.) Most vets say to bring the ferret in early in the morning. This is because they're used to having dogs and cats come in that early to keep them from eating and drinking before surgery. This isn't necessary for ferrets. The longer the ferret has to sit at the vet's office, the more stressed it will be. Less stress equals better recovery.

Plus, if you can get the ferret to the vet later, you can offer it soup before leaving, so it won't have a drop in blood glucose during the day. Ferrets do not have a gag reflex like dogs and cats, so they won't throw up food or water during surgery. This means you don't have to withhold food or water before the surgery.

Take your ferret in for surgery in a carrier that will fit in a cage in the vet's office. This way the ferret and carrier will be put in a cage and the carrier will be opened so the ferret can go potty if it wants to. The ferret will be less stressed if it can stay in its own carrier and not be taken out and just put in the vet's cage. Label the carrier with the ferret's name and your last name.

Ask what hours the vet performs surgeries and plan to pick up your ferret about 1 1/2 hours after the latest time. For example, my vet does surgery from 11-2. I take the ferret in by 9:30 and pick it up by 3:30. I call first to make sure there weren't any complications that will make the ferret need to stay longer. The vet techs always say they will call, and they will, just not necessarily as soon as the ferret is ready to go home. I don't want the ferret to stay at the vet's office any longer than necessary.

When you arrive to pick up the ferret, always take the ferret out of the carrier to check on it. If you have any concerns, ask right then. Don't think it will get better and you can call if it doesn't. Once I had a ferret that had already torn open its stitches by the time I got there, so it went right back in for those to be repaired.

If you have more than an hour's ride home, take some soup and water with you to the vet's office and offer it to the ferret when you pick it up. The vet's office can heat up the soup for you. It's not likely going to want to eat or drink. Offer it anyway. On the way home, if you can, pull over and offer the soup and water again. If you have less than an hour's ride, offer soup when you get home and make it and water available in the cage. You can even offer soup or water in a spoon to entice the ferret to take it.

Be sure you fully understand what is needed for care for the ferret after the surgery. The ferret should awaken and be a little bit active after an hour or so of being home. Call the vet if: the ferret's still lethargic 30-45 minutes after getting home, it's still lethargic the next morning, isn't eating soup or kibble on its own, or if there is more than a small amount of bruising around the incision (possible internal bleeding). If you have concerns and can't reach the vet, you may call me 770-235-0070.

I always offer soup instead of hard kibble after surgery because the ferret is more likely to eat it, it's easier for the ferret to digest, the ferret will eat more of it than kibble and it will give liquids that the ferret needs.

You'll want the ferret to not move around much the first three to four days, depending on the surgery. Set up a one level cage, large pet carrier, playpen or something like that. You may take the ferret out for handling or let it walk around some, just not to run and play like normal. It's okay to let its partner sleep with it, as long as they're not playing and wrestling.

Some people feel they have to keep the ferret inactive until the stitches are removed. This is not so. Ferrets heal very quickly and will be going crazy if confined for ten days. If a ferret has had adrenal surgery with no complications, I will allow it out more and more each day with it being able to be with the other ferrets by day four or five.

Stitches are to be removed at the ten day mark or very close to that. If you wait too long, skin will start growing over the stitches and make removal more difficult. You can remove the stitches yourself by having someone hold the ferret, using small scissors to snip a stitch and then use tweezers to gently tug the stitch out. Double check to be sure you haven't left in any small pieces.

08/25/2026

IT'S $2 TUESDAY! This week we're raising money for the cost of having cared for and in memory of sweet Rupert. He was the ferret that came in critically ill Saturday and had to be euthanized Sunday evening.

Ways you can help!
< Donate $2 (or more if you can). It all adds up!
< Share this post on your page and in groups!
< Like this post!
< Comment on this post!
Donate via: VenMo -Matters-Ferret-Rescue (may ask for 0070), Zelle or Paypal [email protected], CashApp $moonysdooknook / Victoria O (my CA acct was hacked), check to 4233 Zephyrhills Dr NW, Acworth GA 30101, or credit card payment as a donation to the rescue vet 770-614-9060.

08/24/2026

Rupert is the ferret that came in Saturday afternoon in critical condition. After going 11 hours without urinating or defecating, he finally started doing so. He's been passing a small amount of a completely liquid stool every few hours. This, along with lethargy and lack of appetite that came on two days ago, indicated to me, and a vet friend I talked with, that Rupert has a partial blockage. Unfortunately, he already came in severely dehydrated and underweight. While I've been giving him 30 ccs of lactated ringers every 12 hours and three to five ccs of liquid soup every two to three hours, it's not enough for him to live through surgery. This evening he's been urinating and defecating on himself without even making it to the pad, which means his body is shutting down. He was in discomfort, even with pain meds, and let me know he's ready to go. There was just no fight left in him. So, unfortunately, he's been euthanized. I really hate it when stuff like this happens. I feel like I have all this knowledge and ability, I should be able to save them or at least help them live a little while to know the love I have to give them. At least he knew how much I loved him and had a full belly and wasn't thirsty for his last couple of days. (For those questioning giving soup to a ferret I thought had a blockage, if a ferret has a partial blockage, it is okay to give small amounts of liquid soup or supplement to keep the ferret from crashing. The liquid can pass the blockage without pushing on it and causing any issues.)

08/23/2026

3 yr old Rupert was surrendered yesterday and is in very critical condition. He's had only a liquid stool in small amounts and gets it on himself when going. At this point, I am starting to believe he has a blockage. Symptoms are liquid stool, lethargy, no appetite, owner said he was good two days ago. If it is, he's too fragile to live through surgery. It's trying so hard with this boy.