From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-02-07 23:33:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Enlarged lymph glands
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., erminejs@w... wrote:
> I recently took my little female, Coco, she is 5 1/2 years old to
the
> vet for yearly vaccinations. Besides having a reaction to the
> vaccinations the vet upon examination said that her lymph nodes
> (glands)? were larger than a year ago with her last examination.
He
> advised me that in his experience I could be seeing symptoms of
> lymphoma within the year and recommended that she be put on
Pediapred
> 1/2 ml twice a day. Does this sound feasible? What are the side
> effects of this medication and is this a small dose as time goes by
will
> I need to increase this? Very unsure and hesitant!!! Julie
Dear Julie:
In this cse, I would strongly recommend that the lymph nodes be at
least aspirated, and preferably biopsied to examined for lymphoma.
Lymphoma treatment should not begin simply by seeing enlarged lymph
nodes, as they may be enlarged for a number of reasons.
Plus, if you biopsy or aspirate after you ahve started the
prednisone, the signs of lymphoma may be masked by the steroid
administration.
While ferrets are fairly steroid-resistant, the indiscriminate use of
prednisone in the absence of a disease which requires it may result
in 1) refractoriness when and if the animal actually needs it to
treat insulinoma, inflammatory bowel disease, or lymphoma (after a
postivie diagnosis) and b) a higher doses, the possibility of
developing iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism is indeed a reality in
the ferrets.
Bottom line - ask to have those lymph nodes examined more closely
before starting to treat for anything....
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM