From:
"Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2003-11-05 21:31:08 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Pertwee's necropsy -- hepatic cell carcinoma
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <Law12-F89btGPvdUVSf0000f624@hotmail.com>
I personally do not believe that the dental or the growth rem'l had any
thing to do with her death other then possibly her body masked things for so
long that the stress of the anesthsia and procedure could have made it occur
a bit earlier. Could it have been detected? Well not by routine labwork or
even x rays, this would have been a surgical diagnosis, maybe an ultrasound
with an aspirate if they noticed something, but even that is difficult
because her clotting ability could be affected by the liver problem. This
type of cancer probably not much you can do and we don't know if it was
primary or secondary (metastic from some other location). If she showed no
signs, we don't routinely do ultrasounds on clinically normal animals. It
is sort of like cardiomyopathy in cats, these cats are asymptomatic, labs
normal, do not always have a murmur and any minor stressor can cause them to
collapse and die. Can't tell on x ray in many either, so again there is no
apparant reason to do an ultrasound which could have picked it up, and
ultrasound is just too costly to become a routine testing tool, like x rays,
blood work, blood pressure, etc. I am sorry for your loss, but everything
happens for a reason, we all know that, but it still doesn't make it any
easier. I think this was a tough case/scenario and more then likely it
would have turned out the same in many other vets hands too. I hope this
helps you to explain things a bit and it you need clarification let me know.
Always,
Dr. Sue
>From: <caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com>
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
>Subject: [ferrethealth] Pertwee's necropsy -- hepatic cell carcinoma
>Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 11:35:46 -0800 (PST)
>
>Hi, everyone,
>
>I have (verbally) received the necropsy report for Petwee, our 5 year old
>albino boy who died five hours after dental work two weeks ago. The report
>(which I have yet to see) says he died of hepatic cell carcinoma (liver
>cancer). A large mass on his liver ruptured causing his death.
>
>We had no idea anything was seriously wrong with Pertwee. He was complete
>asymptomatic. This raises some questions for me:
>
>1> Am I correct in assuming his death had nothing to do with the dental
>work and the small growth that was removed (by cautery) from behind his
>ear?
> Is the fact that he died at the vet's office coincidence?
>
>2> Is there any way this could have been detected? If so, could anything
>have been done to save him if we had known?
>
>Pertwee had a long and particularly challenging medical history, including
>heliobacter and adrenal disease at age one, adrenal again at one and a
>half,
>unilateral polycystic disease and age one and a half, and chronic
>pancreatitis from age three. He had been on dexamethasone and
>fludocortisone (sp?) long term as well as Viokase-V mixed into chicken
>gravy. I can give dosages if they are at all relevant.
>
>I had a lot invested in Pertwee, both financially and, of course,
>emotionally. His personality was very different from any other ferret I've
>had and I miss him terribly. I am posting these questions in the hope
>answers might help another ferret owner keep another ferret going some day.
>
>All the best,
>Caity
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>--
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>
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