From:
sukiecrandall@telocity.com
Date: 2001-11-22 19:59:00 UTC
Subject: Re: to people who have tried chemo
The only ferrets we know of who have had a strict chemo
protocol like the Jeglum one work as a cure have been in the
prime of life: 2 years old into 4 years old. They also have had the
more standard lympho rather than Juvenile Lympho. Even then I
could count them on one hand with fingers left over, and I'm not
convinced that the number is higher than the also very rare
spontaneous remissions I have heard about. (Then again, I
don't know how many of either group were actually diagnosed
through biopsy.)
We have used prednisone to improve quality and quantity of life
during this disease with the shortest result being something like
6 or 7 months and the longest being 14 months in our
household.
Perhaps there are newer approaches of which I am unaware;
that would not be a surprise.
Hope this helps.
> We tried chemo on Lily when she was diagnosed with
lymphoma.
> Prognosis was 1-2 months without treatment. We put her on
chemo (the
> protocol in Dr. Purcell's book) and I had her euthanized 3 1/2
months
> later. Would I do it again? Probably not for lymphoma. It just
> progresses too quickly. I think that once we realize there's a
> problem and it's diagnosed, it has progressed beyond
reasonable hope.
> Just my opinion.
>
> Chemo is stressful on the ferret. There really are no side
effects
> other than some tiredness after one of the drugs (Vincristine?)
for a
> day or two. They have to be taken to the vet every week (or
every
> other, depending on where you are in the protocol). For IV
> injections, a CBC has to be done prior to chemo and they have
to stay
> all day for observation. For regular injections, you just take
them
> and get the injection and go home.
>
> Chemo is very expensive. I think I was spending $400- $500
per month.
> I still have the protocol and prices.
>
> One visit: Doxorubicin $81.90
> Iso 24.00
> CBC 28.95
>
> Another: Cytoxan: 27.39 (no CBC or Iso)
>
> Another: Vincristine: 41.80
> Iso 24.00
> CBC 28.95
>
> Predisone is given throughout.
>
> Just to give you an idea....
>
> I don't think it was worth it to put Lily through all of the trips and
> injections and it really didn't prolong her life very much. And,
much
> of that prolonged life was spent at the vets' office.
>
> I'm not making any recommendations, just expressing my
opinion from
> our experience.
>
> Katharine