Message Number: SG11360 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: nicole@mb-law.com
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 22:35:23 +0000 (GMT)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Subject: Liver Biopsy - Please Interpret
Message-ID: <6489437.1099953323326.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hello again everyone. I have studied the archives on info and found that unspecified liver disease is considered rare in ferrets, so I am throwing this out for opinions and interpretation.
Last week I took Bubba in for an adrenal surgery. However, when his vet opened him up she was mortified by the sight of his liver. She said it was enlarged and bumpy and very bloody. She cut off a piece for biopsy and indicated that the bleeding was severe. She did not do anything further, as she made a visual diagnosis of cancer and left the right adrenal mass (which she said encompassed other organs as well as the vena cava) untouched.
She sent him back home with a poor prognosis, but called today with the following pathology report.
"moderate, chronic, portal hepatitis with bile ductular hyperplasia, fibrosis and hepatocellular changes"
She said this roughly translates to "liver disease".
He is active and eating, stools look normal and he seems to have no visible symptoms other than the obvious hairloss.
Can anyone identify what this is, or have experience with this.
She has recommended SamE and pred, I have been told milk thistle. She had not heard of milk thistle. Which one is better?
Thanks for your help.
Nicole
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