From:
Joanne D'Amico
Date: 2001-06-03 23:39:00 UTC
Subject: RE: Socks and Alix - Adrenal Surgery
Rebecca - First, please accept my condolences on losing Socks - I know
the pain. But, having had several ferrets that needed adrenal surgery, I
definitely would take the chance again and again. I have two right now
who had both adrenals removed, and the vena cava ligated, because of the
size and invasiveness of their tumors (cancer), and one oldster who had
one biggie removed (not cancer but it grew into the lower lobe of the
liver anyway). All are alive and happy. It has been almost 3 years since
my #1 bad boy Dooker had his surgery, and he has been doing fine on a
bit of Florinef and prednisone. Dudley was almost 7 yrs old but in good
shape, and he is still with me 18 months later.
Second, the law of averages would lean in favor of this one not being
the same as Socks' (some of my ferrets had very mild cases,
non-cancerous and easy to remove). Only one ferret so far has succumbed
to an adrenal cancer, and she was very advanced when I got her - it was
a very aggressive type with a high probability of metasteses when
biopsied, and she lived another 18 months after the surgery (even
survived ECE during that period). And she was my first experience with
adrenal tumors. I can't tell you what you should do, but I opt for
surgery whenever there is a chance - providing they are not too old or
otherwise compromised. Good luck with Alix.