From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-04-09 19:59:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Leukemis_S.O.S.
Dear Mariann:
First recheck that blood value and make sure that it is correct. If
it is, that is very bad news. In young ferrets, the discovery of
leukemia (a form of lymphosarcoma in which the neoplastic cells spill
over into the blood) is very bad.
Prednisone is one way to treat the condition. There are other forms
of chemotherapy, but unforatunately they only work in 10% of cases,
and Gorci's type of lymphoma would not be expected to have a high
rate of response.
A bone marrow transplant is not of use in this case, as there is
really no way to wipe out the neoplastic cells already there. If we
were to put in healthy cells, they would not take hold, as the tumor
is already growing in the bone marrow.
I truly wish I could give better news, but at this point, our best
hope is that the first blood test was miscalculated.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams,DVM
I
> have only just found out (3rd of April) that my 11
> months old little ferret (sterilised male) has
> leukaemia. The symptoms of his illness were so far
> weight loss (from 1.18 kg to 0.79 kg) and lack of
> playfulness. And he is also pulling my socks off, who
> knows why!?
> The vet informed me about the cancer after he had done
> a blood test. The results were that my ferret has 1
> million white blood cells instead of 10 thousand. I
> was also told that this is incurable in Hungary and he
> will die. He has been taking two medications since the
> 3rd of April, which are Baytril for a week (one tablet
> per week) and Metypred for the rest of his life (for a
> week 1/2 tablet a day and than ¼ tablet a day).
>
> I do not want to lose him and I do not want him to
> suffer, so I would like to know whether you could help
> to cure my domestic ferret. I know that a bone marrow
> transplant can help in human's case. Could that help
> my Görci (his name)?
>
> If his cancer is incurable, do you think that the
> medication he is taking is the best I can get for him?
> Is there anything else you could recommend?
>
> May I ask you to answer my letter in a way that even
> a layman can understand it (not too many medical words
> please).
>
> Both Görci and myself would like to thank you in
> advance for your help.
>
> Best regards
>
>
>
>
> Mariann Soós
>
>
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