From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2002-10-15 00:05:15 UTC
Subject: RE: facial masses growing quickly--urgent
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <6436767.1034640315490.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> Bear, two weeks ago, started with a bulging left eye. I took him to our vet, who could find no reason for the bulge but did say he suspected Bear was blind in that eye. Three days later, a very hard marble-sized lump appeared near where his jaws meet. He seemed to be in no pain. ... Last night, I noticed the lump had swollen a bit more and had an additional lump over his left eye. Still, no change in eating or drinking habits and doesn't seem to be in any pain. There is no evidence of any abcess in his ear or gum/teeth area..
Trish:
If you can't aspirate it, then you remove one for microscopic examination. Retrobulbar masses, if there really is one, are most commonly lymphoma (it is not an uncommon site for development of the tumor.) Usually, though, lymphoma can be aspirated. A rock had mass on the skull may be an osteoma, a benign tumor of bone (and something that can easily be demonstrated on an X-ray.)
I can't tell if all of the tumors are realted here, or if you may coincidentalyy have a couple coming up at the same time. Osteomas are fairly slow-growing, though.
Best course of action - X-ray of the head right before excision of one of the tumors.
I would be happy to look at the samples it you would care to send them to me - this sounds like an interesting case.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM