From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2002-10-16 00:38:18 UTC
Subject: RE: Kayla's biopsy results
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <23332194.1034728698124.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> Today the biopsy results came in and it said that my baby girl has skin c=
ancer. The lesions she had were cancerous mass cell tumors. The doctor said=
we can do 1 of 3 things: (1)Remove a little skin from around each of them =
(which she has about 5 after removing 3 for biopsy) (2)Take her to a specia=
list and put her through chemotherapy, but the doctor said that would be ex=
perimental, or (3)Give her steroids through pills. We are thinking of going=
with the steroids and that is what the doctor suggested. But will this tak=
e the tumors away or just repress them? And how much pain is my baby girl i=
n? I'm not letting her go without a fight. I'm determined to get her throug=
h this. Is there a cure for this cancer? Can it be spread to my other 2 fer=
rets? We are taking her back to the doctor tomorrow to get her stitches rem=
oved and we plan on asking him all these questions then. But right now I'm =
kinda in shock and I just had to get this out to somebody. I can't believe =
this is happeneing to me. She is only a year old! She shouldn't have to go =
through this. What are the chances of her dieing from this? :o(
> Sarah
Dear Sarah:
Mast cell tumors are not malignant in ferrets. I would strongly suggest a =
fourth option - nothing at all. Ferret owners are very familiar with mast =
cell tumors - they are the second most common skin tumors in ferrets, and p=
ose no long-term threat.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
=