From:
Jen & Andre
Date: 2001-11-19 16:25:00 UTC
Subject: ferret specialists' opinion needed
Newton is slipping, she's getting weaker and sleeps almost
all of the time.
For a month I've been trying to find out what's wrong with
her, just to be told that everything is inconclusive. Doctor
A. told me today that she couldn't diagnose without a biopsy,
and Doctor B. who does the biopsies refused to do it on a
ferret. Doctor C, my exotics vet has been on vacation (I
imagine he's back now, but I would like to get >1 opinion if
possible).
Doctor A thinks it's lymphoma, but she told me that yet
another doctor believes it is not (because only the largest
lymphocytes were abnormal, the small and medium ones were
normal). Doctor A says it could also be insulinoma that has
spread to other organs.
Newton was in for tests Friday afternoon,
Here are her lab results:
(finished prednisone7-10 days ago)
anemia, throbocytopenia, mild leukocytosis with left shift
serum biochem- mild azotemia (sp? messy handwriting), no
hypoglycemia as previously seen (it had been 3.6)
FNA enlarged LN, spleen, peripheral LN= reactive
lymphadenopathy? but some large blastic cells
Hepatic cept: inflammatory cells?
suspect neoplasia but FNA unable to confirm. inflammatory?
infection?
FNA of spleen, cyst in liver, R submandibular LN
Na 156 mmol/L urea 17.8 CK
64 U/L
K 5.5 creat. 78
AST [GOT] 36
Na:K 28 Glucose 4.1 ALT
[GPT] 70
Cl- 125 cholest. 4.9
Gamma-GT 67
Ca 2.59 T. bili 2 umol/L T.
prot. 77 g/L
P 3.35 Amylase 32 U/L albumin
23 g/l
globulin 54 g/L
A:G .43
lipase 451 U/L
SDH 4 U/L
WBC 9.1 X10E9/L WBC Diff. (%)
(X10E9/L) Plasma
RBC 5.80 X10E12/L Segs 40% 3.64
hemolysis
HBC 84 g/L Bands 6%
.54 turbidity:+
HCT .238 L/L
MCV 40.8 fL Eos 1%
.09
MCH 14.4pg Baso
protein: 82 g/L
MCHC 354 g/L Lymph 44%
4.00
RDW 18.7% Mono 9%
.81
PLTS 153 X10E9/L Disint
retics .1% (x10E9/L)
Pct 1.65
MPV 10.8 fL NRBC /100
WBC
PDW 16.8% toxic SLI
Corr. WBC
9.1 x10E9/L
C morphology:
isocytosis 1+
ikilocytosis 1+
enation/burr cells
If there's anything you can tell me from this, and the past
messages I've posted please let me know. If there's something
I can do for her I want to be able to do it. Doctor A
recommends pred, but says if I want to do chemo to not give
pred. I asked about using antibiotics just to see if it was
infection but Doctor A wasn't interested in that. I don't know
what to do...
Please help
Jen
ps, additional info: she's got a big spleen full of hypoechoic
holes, masses in her liver (one was aspirated, urine coloured
liquid, it was full of neutrophils), enlarged left adrenal,
thorax was opaque on rads, couldn't outline heart (opaqueness
didn't respond to diuretics), dorsal bend in trachea just
cranial to heart. arrhythmia was detected >3 weeks ago, but
normal now. She shows poor balance, hind end weakness (no
seizures), when rolled onto her back it puts her into fits of
heaves.