From:
Betty
Date: 2002-12-03 01:13:14 UTC
Subject: Possible Salivary Gland Cancer
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-id: <3DEC0517.501B394@shaw.ca>
Dear Dr. Williams et al,
4-5 year old male ferret recently underwent an adrenal surgery on Oct.
03. Two week later a ring of hard tissue appeared around his neck
similar to a tire being placed around. It is all the way around in one
continuous ring. It is rounded and is uniform in shape and size. It is
growing and as of today, concerns are that he will need to be euthanized
within days due to the nature of the ring growing, possibly cutting off
airway or pinching against major blood supply in neck. I have taken a
picture of it although it may not be as clear to see as I want it to be.
Findings in report: Nodular Adrenal Cortical hyperplasia, benign biliary
cyst, chronic cholangitis - mild.
Blood results showed Mean Corp Hemoglobin slightly out of range
(16.4pg.), Blood Urea Nitrogen also slightly above range (14.2mmol/l),
Globulin low (22g/l) Albumin/Globulin Ration high (1.7), and Chloride
(under gamma gt) was also high (122 mmol/l.). All other reading were
registered within normal ranges.
Report: The smears display low cellularity with moderate blood
contamination. There is abundant magenta material in the background
which appears tenacious (windrowing of erythrocytes is seen). Moderately
sized to large cells are present individually and in small clusters, the
cells are round to polygonal with moderate to abundant cytoplasm which
is pale and often contains small to very large vacuoles. Nuclei are
small and round to oval, and usually eccentrically placed within the
cell. Morphology is often obscured by the thick background material.
Interpretation: The aspirate is not consistent with a lymph node.
Unusual cytologic picture - most suspicious of a secretory adenoma
(salivary?) but cannot rule out other types of neoplasia. Review by
second pathologist confirms this interpretation. Third opinion:
Suspicious of a cartilaginous tumor i.e. chondroma/sarcoma.
Question: Is there a treatment for this type of tumor? Causes? Any info
would be helpful. Would you like me to send samples of this tumor to you
for follow up pathology?
betty and her blur o'fur
for the love of ferrets
End of ferrethealth Digest
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