From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-02-06 21:46:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Mast Cell tumor, Is there another treatment besides
surgery?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., elnrrgby1@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 02/05/2002 11:07:43 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
> Ferret-Health-list@y... writes:
>
>
> > I have a 7 year old ferret with advanced cardio. Obviously
not a
> > surgical
> > candidate. He has developed a rather large (approx. 1 cm) Mast
Cell on the
> > back of his neck. Is there a treatment besides surgery that will
reduce or
> > control it?
> >
Unfortunately, surgery is the only way to really "control" it.
HOwever there are a couple of points to make -
1. These are benign neoplasms which in a pinch, can be left
untouched. I don't recommend it, but in cases of cardiomyopathy,
even the stress of a local anesthetic may be enough to cause him to
decompensate.
2. You can try a steroid/antibiotic cream in case some of the size
is due to inflammation - it may decrease the size and irritation a
little, but it's nowhere close to surgery in terms of benefit.
3. Ferret mast cell tumors do not have the histamine that dog
neoplasms do. This is perhaps why we do not see the systemic
problems in ferrets, like duodenal ulcers in ferrets with mast cells
tumors as we see in dogs. While no one has done any work in ferrets
with histamine blockers, I strongly doubt that they would have any
effect here.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM