From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2002-08-19 03:46:24 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Exploratory Surgery
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Cc: NaaNaa25@aol.com
Message-Id: <20020818234624.7c927a48.whiteweasel@earthlink.net>
Hi,
> My little girl is barely two and is having exploratory surgery to
> remove adrenal tumors soon.
Tumors? Plural? Do you know for sure that both glands are affected?
If so, how do you know? How did your vet determine that she's
bilateral?
> Is this a serious surgery or just a
> routine one?
It's serious, but how serious depends on which gland(s) need to be
removed. In something like 80% of cases it's just the left, which is
far easier to remove than the right. Ferrets seem to bounce back really
well from left adrenal surgeries.
The right adrenal gland connects to the vena cava, the main vein to the
heart. Removing the right adrenal gland completely is far more
difficult, both for the surgeon and the ferret. I've had ferrets as
young as one and a half and as old as seven and a half have this surgery
and all have come through fine, but... I've heard of some veterinary
surgeons having alarmingly high mortality rates. I'd only want a really
good and experienced ferret vet to do a right on one of mine.
In rare cases *both* glands are involved. That's the most difficult
situation. Search the archives and you'll find lots of posts about
bilateral adrenal surgeries and the issues involved in aftercare --
specifically replacing the adrenal products to balance the ferret's
electrolytes. Even a bilateral adrenalectomy isn't the end of the world
if done by a good ferret vet. Pertwee has had no adrenal glands since
he was a year and a half old. He's four now and doing fine.
> I do not know what to look for or anything.
What to look for will depend on which gland(s) is/are affected.
Generally, you'll want to keep your fert isolated from any others you
may have for a week to ten days. When she comes home she'll probably
want to sleep and not much more. Just make sure she's drinking, eating,
and pooping. If she does all those things she'll get better.
> Will I be
> able to keep her in her cage, will she be able to walk up the ramps?
Remove the ramps. You do not want her climbing at all until the
incision is healed. Put lots of comfy stuff she can burrow into on the
bottom of the cage. We use old towels for bedding and put extras
into the recovery cage. You can also add a favorite toy or anything
that might make her feel more comfortable.
> Will she eat her normal dry food or will I need to feed her a special
> diet and make sure she is eating every 3-4 hours?
That depends on how difficult the surgery is and how her recovery goes.
Having some soft food (i.e.: Bob Church's Chicken Gravy) on hand isn't a
bad idea if she doesn't want her kibble. If she will eat her normal
food our vet always feels that's best.
> Will someone please
> help, I dont know anything about this sx except not to let her fast
> any longer than 3-4 hours contrary to what my vet said to let her
> start fasting after midnight and she wasnt to be there until 8 in the
> morning!!!!
Did you ask your vet why? Our vet doesn't fast ferts at all before this
surgery, but your vet may have a good reason in her case.
> Any info on this sx would be of great help.
You are dealing with the absolutely most common of the major diseases
requiring surgery that afflicts ferrets. I've been through eight
adrenal surgeries on six of my ferrets (out of 10) over the past three
years. We haven't lost one because of doing the surgery yet. We have a
great vet, which makes all the difference in the world.
Obviously I am not a vet, just a ferret owner who's been through this
too many times. Kodo's surgery next week for insulinoma will be #14 in
the last four years one one of our ferrets.
All the best to you and your little girl.
-Caity and the non-stop nine