From:
"Kym Barone"
Date: 2002-11-04 00:16:24 UTC
Subject: Vets Please Help: Heart disease with Lymphosarcoma
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <133f01c28397$69495870$9800a8c0@kymmeray.com>
Desperately seeking thoughts from vets and those experienced with this.
I did read a TON from the FHL archives, and a few websites, before
asking here.
I have a 5 year old ferret named Muse, visibly adrenal and overweight
but otherwise had no signs of illness. She'd been slowing down over the
months but nothing too concerning. As of Thursday night when I clipped
her claws she seemed as usual. Friday night I came home to find her on
the floor looking not fine. She can't walk very well and appeared to
have gained a lot of weight. Distended abdomen. I thought she was
bleeding out. Seemed very *tired.*
Took her to the vet Saturday who diagnosed her without a needle aspirate
as having lymphosarcoma. Vet said that all of the nodes were very
enlarged - neck, armpit, legs, abdomen. Found a 'soft' murmur. Though I
emphasized that I brought her in due to the fact I thought she had fluid
in the abdomen and she was SO much larger than the day before, his
diagnosis remained lymphosarcoma and prescribed 2.5 cc of pred 2x day.
Little was mentioned about heart concerns.
I spent hours reading info on lympho last night, which led me to start
reading up on heart disease. Everything I read from these archives and
other sites indicated congestive heart failure was the problem. The
enlarged lymph nodes definitely are quite enlarged, but the belly with
the fluid, trouble breathing, being so *tired* -this all seemed to fit
with congestive heart failure. So then I PANICKED because I'm reading
that pred is bad for heart disease.
Took Muse to another vet today who felt that the diagnosis of
lymphosarcoma was probably correct as well, but also believes there is
heart disease. She found a pretty significant murmur. She prescribed
Lasix and recommended an echo before enacard or any other meds are
prescribed (this vet is not my usual vet, though she is very good with
ferrets).
So now I'm making an appointment for Muse to have an echo done and I
assume lymph node aspirate and whatever else BUT I'm asking here because
I want to have LOTS of information on hand for my regular vet about
treatments with lympho AND heart disease. What do I do? I know that the
lympho needs massive pred doses, but I'm reading that ferrets that are
on pred for insulinoma should be kept on a low dose with heart disease -
but I can't do a low dose for lympho, as it will be ineffective. There
are no alternate drug treatments that I know of other than pred for
lympho (except IV chemo - I won't do that to Muse).
Is there any hope for Muse? I do NOT want her to suffer. I know that her
time is short. The first vet gave her 2 months with the lympho. If her
quality of life can't improve from what it is now - I don't want to put
her through it. But if there is a way to give her pred and Lasix and any
other heart medications safely - and it will improve her quality of life
- I want to try.
Thank you for any help anyone can offer to me!
Kym
Ferret Mommy to 19
Kerplunk, Mikayla, Marty, Tanglefoot, Tumbleweed, Corky, Tequila
Sunrise, Squirt, Piggly Wiggly, Trouble Too, Muse, Boo, Homer, Connie,
Bonnie, Sallie, Tangerine Twist, and the newest additions, Baby Benjamin
Boogaboo and Isabella! Forever missing all my beloved babies who have
gone to the Bridge, especially my dearest L'il Grunt, absent from this
home but forever in my heart and soul.
Meet the kids: <http://www.ferretmommy.com/> http://www.ferretmommy.com
(site not done yet!!)
End of ferrethealth Digest
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