Message Number: YG13118 | New FHL Archives Search
From: tansy
Date: 2002-05-15 23:51:00 UTC
Subject: chemo and lymphoma

Dear Dianna,
I am really sorry about Gunther, unfortunately I have
had 3 of my 25 ferrets die of lymphoma in the last 6
months so I really do understand.

One had the juvenile form which is just too agressive
and no chemo works on, the 2nd I just let go quietly,
the 3rd I went the chemo route.

This is the third ferret I have tried chemotherapy on
over the last 7 or 8 years, and have mixed feelings
about it. The l-aspar will certainly make him FEEL
better then any of the other drugs if you are lucky,
but will not cure the lympho. My ferret Max who went
through the 3 drug protical did quite well for about 6
months. Kaze died of an infection after his first
treatment. Dennis did not respond at all to
l-aspar,and was put on xxx(aaargghh! cant' remember
name, but it is "rescue" chemo drug of last resort
used only for palliative, not cure) and only gained a
couple months but enough to make peace with his
buddies and me and be ready to leave us.

There is a shortage of l-asparaginase. If you are
going to do this I highly recommend going to a vet
oncologist if you can find one. I adore my normal
ferret vet, but the problems of chemo are different,
and there is no way your normal vet will be able to
get the l-aspar in a cost effect way for one ferret.
Unless you could convince an oncologist to sell your
vet enough l-aspar...just a thought.

I hate lympho. I always thought it was the worst until
I ran into myeoma this last month...our poor little
guys, they give us such joy, they sure don't deserve
this do they? Good luck!
tansy

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