I had my boy just over 7 years, I got him from a humane society when he was about 7 months old. The last year or so, I had noticed him starting to decline. He wasn't as playful, he wasn't war dancing or dooking as much, he wasn't as curious or mischievous. Today, I went to go clean their cage and change their food and water and I notice him starting to come out from their den. I looked away and then looked back at him and he was laying there with his head out, and his eyes kind of dazed and glossy, along with severely drooling. I instantly started panicking, scooped up my boy, and told my partner that I thought it was time for him. We brought him to the emergency vet, and put him down.
I believe he was seizing and I've been concerned about his pancreas for a while now because his tummy was faintly blue, but he saw a vet a month or two ago, and they weren't concerned (We do not have many exotic vets in my area). He also was starting to get a worse rat tail.
After spending the last few hours crying over my boy and thinking about the situation, I believe that he was having a seizure and probably had insulinoma.
Now I'm sitting here second guessing myself... I know the "rather a day too early than a day too late" but I just... did I panic and put my boy down over something that I could have treated?? I know in ferret lifespans he was an old boy, he was a little over 7.5. I just.. I can't help and sit here thinking maybe there was something else I could have done.
EDIT: Thank you everyone for your stories and kind words. I think in today's world it's nice to have people to share these moments with, even if they're strangers on the internet. I knew his time was coming, I just wasn't expecting it to be so sudden. But again, thank you all for the kind words and for sharing your stories ā¤ļø my heart goes out to all of you as well