From:
katharine@nettally.com
Date: 2001-10-24 00:44:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Lymphosarcoma Questions
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Dale Nupp" <dale_nupp@i...> wrote:
>I guess my fundamental question is whether or not there are any
specific signs of lymphosarcoma other than a biopsy or exploratory
surgery. Also, is any treatment worth pursuing >
I have lost 3 to lymphoma. Lucy was very quick. Within two weeks
after I noticed something was wrong, she was gone. Blaze was
undergoing an exploratory and was riddled with cancer. We let her go
on the table. Lily was actually officially diagnosed and given
treatment. A swollen lymph node in her neck was biopsied and
lymphoma was diagnosed. Prognosis was 1-2 months without treatment.
I opted to try chemotherapy. Lily did very well tolerating chemo.
Ferrets don't tend to have the side-effect that people have. One
drug (can't remember which) made her very tired for a day or two.
Other than that, she was fine. She made it about 3 1/2 months before
I had her euthanized.
Pros: she lived maybe a couple of months longer than she would have
without treatment
Cons:
*weekly or bi-weekly vet trips; for IV drugs, she had to stay all day
*very expensive - probably $250-$400 per month depending on the drugs
used - each time she received IV administered drugs, she had to have
a CBC prior to and was anesthetized for the drugs to be administered
If I had the choice to make again, I'm not so sure I would put one
through that. I think it was stressful to her being lugged back and
forth to the vet week after week. I'm not sure it was worth the
short additional time she had.
But, don't jump to conclusions just yet. Wait for a definitive
diagnosis. To my knowledge, a biopsy or exploratory surgery are the
only true ways to diagnose lymphoma.
Katharine