From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2004-08-13 04:35:19 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] metastasized adrenal carcinomas
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Cc: ssiu@cgl.uwaterloo.ca
Message-ID: <20040813043519.77628.qmail@web50801.mail.yahoo.com>
Hi, Selina,
>
> Bear had adrenal surgery in march, which was a
> carcinoma, and ultrasound and diagnostics over a
> month ago indicates his cancer has metastasized.
According to our vet that is very rare and also very
bad news. In those rare cases when adrenal carcinomas
metastasize they tend to be very aggressive. There
isn't a whole lot that can be done.
We opted for an exploratory surgery on Ryo-Ohki not
quite three months after her second adrenal surgery.
She had tumors *everywhere*. We made the decision not
to let her wake up from surgery. She had been
suffering for a while before that.
Ryo lost weight throughout this rather than gaining
any. She let us know she was miserable by refusing to
eat and generally doing nothing but sleeping. She was
obviously terribly uncomfortable. She became clingy.
It was late November and I was wearing sweaters a lot.
If I picked he up she would crawl into my sweater and
wanted to sleep right there. I let her do that a lot.
If there is anything I have learned from losing seven
ferrets it's that the little weasels are very good at
telling us when it's time. They fight their disease
and try to act normal until they can't any more. This
is a holdover from their wild ancestors who would
become prey if they looked weak. When they give up
thing are really bad. I've only had one ferret
(Pertwee) recover from that point.
Knowing that Bear has multiple tumors and a heart
condition I'd probably be looking mainly at palleative
care if he was mine. That means doing whatever it
takes to keep him comfortable and happy. When you
can't do that any longer he'll tell you it's time.
I wish I had something more encouraging to tell you.
Maybe one of the vets will know something. I know how
terribly hard something like this is.
All the best,
Caity and the fearsome foursome
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