From:
whiteweasel@earthlink.net
Date: 2003-03-19 20:33:38 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Is it dangerous to wait?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3E788DD2.21822.3331C2@localhost>
------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: Self <caitlynmaire@earthlink.net>
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Date sent: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 09:26:40 -0500
On 18 Mar 2003 at 21:26, deena wrote:
> Kiwi, my 4 yr old female needs adrenal surgery. She has a thin coat and
> a swollen vulva.
[SNIP]
>
> My question is this: Is it safe to wait a month or so, or am I putting her
> in jeopardy?
AFAIK, you can't know. If the adrenal tumor is an aggressive carcinoma, yes, waiting can put
her in jeopardy. If not, then no. The thing is, until the tumor is out and sent off for pathology
you have no way of knowing if waiting is safe or not.
I do know that once the vulva is significantly swollen our vet does NOT wait any longer.
Our vet is conservative about doing second adrenal surgeries (making ferrets bilateral), and
Keith and I have always wondered if we had insisted on getting Ryo-Ohki's second surgery
done sooner if we could have prevented her adrenal carcinoma from metastasizing. That is
what eventually killed her.
So... while waiting in your ferret's case MIGHT be just fine, I wouldn't wait in your position. We
had four surgeries in three months when I was unemployed. (The joys of having old ferrets.) I
worked out extended payments, did what was needed, and everyone is still here and happy. I
think the risk of waiting is low, but I still wouldn't take that risk.
The usual disclaimer applies: I am not a vet, but I have way too much experience with adrenal
disease.
All the best,
Caity and the non-stop nine
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