From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2002-11-04 02:28:49 UTC
Subject: RE: Vets Please Help: Heart disease with Lymphosarcoma
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20051669.1036376929573.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
>> 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
>
Dear Kym:
the first thing that must be done is an aspirate of the lymph nodes, or preferably a biopsy. Adrenal, overweight ferrets often put down fat around their lymph nodes, which may be misintrepreted as lymphoma. Aspirates are such easy tests, there is really no reason not to do one before giving a diagnosis of lymphoma.
Prednisone is not contraindicated with Lasiz - in fact, it potentiates its action - prednisone has a diuretic effect of its own (and actually you should give less lasix in such cases).
But we are talking ahead of the game here. Get your diagnosis of lymphoma first before even considering giving prednisone.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM