From:
meesh meesh
Date: 2001-10-17 11:52:00 UTC
Subject: Skin Tumors - options
Hi all,
I have to admit I've only *very* quickly been
skimming posts on the FHL lately so if I'm off-base
with this response, my apologies. I got the
impression that various people are hesitant to have
surgery for skin tumors. I'm not sure if the
hesitancy is because of anesthesia. If indeed the
tumors are truly cutaneous (only in the skin), you
don't have to anesthetize the ferret. I had a ferret
with two mast cell tumors that were removed with only
local anesthesia. Thank god too, as he was shortly
thereafter diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and
endocardiosis and was in heart failure (just didn't
know at the time). We used lidocaine to block the
area to be excised and used a scalpel to remove the
tissue - we were able to get a good margin since it
was purely cutaneous. He did wiggle but only because
of restraint. He didn't seem to notice we were cutting
his skin. We just distracted him with ferretone - and
he was completely unaware of anything else lol. A
couple of sutures and within a week, you couldn't tell
he had had them removed.
Hope this helps. If I've misunderstood the
reticence, my apologies :).
(ps. bottom line if there's a mass - you can't know
what it is without a biopsy. And, if it's malignant -
"watching and waiting" will only be detrimental or
lethal to the ferret... ...if there's a mass that can
be removed..remove it. ..my 2 cents :) )
Michaela Maurice
College of Veterinary Medicine
Ohio State University
Class of 2002
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