From:
Pam Sessoms
Date: 2002-04-24 10:02:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Re: Chondroma?
Lisa,
You may have already found this, but there is an interesting post about
chondroma vs chordoma by Dr. Williams in the FML archives... It's at
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0101&L=ferret-search&P=R41561
The tumor under discussion was in the *neck*, so that's a bit different,
because you can't amputate that and totally be rid of the tumor like you
can when something is on the tail.
Anyway, I had a great ferret named Willard who had a bony growth near the
*base* of his tail when he was 4 or 5. Early biopsy said chondroma. The
tail was amputated and the final biopsy was chordoma, so at least in one
case, there has been a chordoma on the tail at a place other than the tip.
The above post addresses why biopsies can say chondroma when it may be a
chordoma. Of course, it may well be a chondroma too, I have no idea! I
don't have any experience with them, though.
In Willard's case, my vet took an extra vertebrae or two to be sure to get
it all. I hope your guy's is far enough up for that... My vet dismantled
the tail right between the vertebrae, so no bone was really cut. He
didn't have any further problems from that tumor or from loss of his tail.
He needed torb for a day or so after the surgery, but it wasn't that bad.
I have a couple of pics of him showing his sexy rear end at:
http://www.unc.edu/~pjdutche/willardandnub.jpg
http://www.unc.edu/~pjdutche/willardandsonic.jpg
My vet started calling him "the polar bear" after this surgery. He was a
big fat thing and the name stuck. :)
Good luck,
-Pam S.