Message Number: YG8283 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Jen & Andre
Date: 2001-10-29 14:38:00 UTC
Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: thoracic surgery

Thanks for your reply Dr. Williams.
I'm hoping that the US will be encouraging. I'll post the
results when I get them.
-Jen
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Williams, DVM
To: Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 11:24 PM


--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Jen & Andre"
<jen.andre@i...> wrote:
> I'm having an US done on Wednesday for my 8 year old with
the pulm
effusion, possible enlarged heart, insulinoma...
> In lateral rads, her trachea has an obvious dorsal bend in
it just
cranial to her heart. Some people (Doctors at my vet school)
have
said that a bend in the trachea suggests neoplasia. That's
what the
US is for, but my question is: are many ferret vets willing
to do
surgery inside the thorax? It would seem like a pretty
touchy
proceedure on such a small animal. What can you tell me
about this?
>


Dear Jen - Most general practitioners will refer a thoracic
case due
to the intricacies of anesthesia and the requirement for
assisted
ventilation. When you open the thorax, the lungs collapse,
and a
machine or a good tech needs to "breathe" for the animal.
There is a
trick to closing the thorax as well, to make sure that the
lungs stay
inflated, and post-operative followup is important to ensure
that all
stray air is removed from the chest, so that the lungs do
not
collapse as well.

We haven't even mentioned the small size of the ferret
thorax and
difficulty working in there.

It can be done, but usually only at a specialty surgical
clinic or
veterinary school. However, if it is a tumor, the chance of

recurrence is good due to the difficulty in complete
excision. You
would have to think long and hard in pursuing this option in
any 8-
year-old.

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, DVM


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