Message Number: SG11776 | New FHL Archives Search
From: d6n6b6@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 2004-12-09 18:38:08 UTC
Subject: lymhoma treatment - chemo?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1376707.1102617488976.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

I contacted this list a couple of days ago, telling you about one of my ferrets that had been diagnosed with a roundcelltumor in the mesenterium, which can't be removed surgically.

In the mean time I know it is lymphoma, a "T-cell rich B-cell lymphoma" to be exact. The ferret is 3,5 years old and is otherwise in normal condition, no insulinoma, no adrenal disease, he doesn't suffer from the tumor (yet).

We talked about chemotherapy today with the vet and an internist/oncologist to see what the options are but haven't made up our minds yet.. it's so difficult...

we talked mostly about the protocols of Dr. Brown and Dr.Rosenthal. The one of Dr. Rosenthal was better the oncologist thought, although she has no experience in ferrets. She said in cats and dogs they have 80-90% remission. But the ferret-vet and I only found texts saying there's only 10% chance of remission in ferrets...??

It's really difficult to decide, especially since it'll be difficult to cope with it financially... But on the other hand we really don't want to lose him... =(

The other option that she talked about was just cortisone and then wait until it's time...

Does anyone know about other options?

are there people with ferrets that received chemotherapy? Did they survive and for how long?

What would you do?

Help...

Bjorn