From:
naturabella@stny.rr.com
Date: 2005-01-15 21:06:10 UTC
Subject: RE: Please give me your advice re: lymphoma
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <17089909.1105823350790.JavaMail.nobody@vanadium.smartgroups.com>
Yuriko,
I am not a vet but I have been through this before...
If it was my ferret... I would want a definitive diagnosis of lymphoma before
beginning anti cancer drugs or steroids!!!
An elevated lymphocyte count does NOT absolutely mean lymphoma.
She could have something else going on that is causing the elevation that will not
show up on x ray. X rays are not good enough to diagnose these kind of things. You
should at least try ultrasound, and possibly exploratory if you still cannot see
anything.
DO NOT take this diagnosis seriously without a definitive.. I have been there
before...my ferret's first vet told me that he was dying of lymphoma..and I got a
second opinion. Our new vet did futher diagnostics and we got a definitive.He did
NOT have lymphoma. So be careful with this initial diagnosis..
Lymphoma is always possible, but there are many other things that are also possible
and more likely.
And if your ferret is not getting better with the medicine she is on..it could be that it
is the wrong medicine because it is the wrong diagnosis.
If you have doubts..Please get a second opinion.
It could be something as simple as a Helicobacter infection ( bacteria in her
stomach) that is causing the ulcers and vommitting. The steroids that she was given
could aggravate the ulcers further.
Has she been put on antibiotics? Suggest a course of antibiotics for possible
helicobacter infection/ and or ulcers.