Message Number: YG11372 | New FHL Archives Search
From: circuitlust
Date: 2002-02-22 19:41:00 UTC
Subject: skin lymphoma

My name is Melissa Cyman , I am Vetrinary Technology student, and
work in a small animal practice. I am also the proud owner of 8
ferrets. About one month ago when i was working at the hospital a
woman came in with two ferrets both of whom she wanted put to sleep.
My doctor and I did not want to see this happen so we asked her to
surrender them to us. These ferrets both needed surgery , the female
(3 yrs.old)needed adrenal gland surgery which we did, and the male(3
1/2yrsold) had a mass which we removed and sent the specimen out to a
lab(lab report attached. History is incorrect on report it is for the
female ferret). The report stated lymphoma. About 2 wks after the
surgery I noticed a mass in the same area and also another one .
These masses seem to be growing very quickly. In one wks time seem to
have grown from pea size to marble size and are still growing near
golf ball size. We did a aspirate of these masses and found immature
lymphs. Other than these masses, this ferret shows no other signs of
problems. My question is have you ever seen this before? Suggestions
on how to treat this?(Chemotherapy?) Thank you for your time.

Melissa Cyman

ferretmom5@h...

(716) 826-1539

LAB REPORT:

HISTORY: This 3-year-old male ferret had an ulcerative circular mass
on the right lateral flank of unknown duration. The case is
nonsubsidized.

CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS: Open.

GROSS: Received in formalin is one tissue to 3.5 cm. in greatest
dimension that is processed in one block.

MICROSCOPIC: The specimen is a raised, nodular, and circumscribed
focus of intermediate to high grade lymphoma. The tumor is comprised
of sheets of neoplastic lymphoid cells that have scant eosinophilic
cytoplasm and large vesicular nuclei containing multiple nucleoli and
up to eight mitotic figures per high power field. Neoplastic cells
do not extend to the examined margins.

DIAGNOSIS: Intermediate to high grade lymphoma, skin.

COMMENT: These tumors are generally multicentric, and it is likely
that additional neoplastic foci are present in other locations. This
tumor focus appears to have been completely excised. The high
mitotic index in this case suggests that this tumor may respond at
least partially to some form of chemotherapy.




XXX, DVM, DACVP
XXX/YY
NZP Code: M, 8; intermediate to high grade lymphoma, skin.