From:
"Katharine"
Date: 2005-02-26 13:15:22 UTC
Subject: Possum
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <00b301c51c05$3a8cd710$28102cc7@D1CW2811>
I got a call from the local animal shelter last Wednesday (2/16). They cal=
l me with "unadoptable" ferrets. This little guy had a HUGE abdomen and a =
mass near his prepuce. I made a vet appt. for him the following Tuesday. =
My vet called and said he had a tennis ball sized mass. We both hoped it w=
as the spleen but he wasn't certain. There was also the smaller mass (grap=
e-sized) in the prepuce area. He wanted to go ahead and do surgery that da=
y, which was fine. As it was, he got backed up and we rescheduled him for =
surgery on Wednesday (2/23).
Doc called when he had opened Possum. He said that he was a bloody mess in=
side. It appeared his LEFT adrenal had ruptured, was so huge that it had w=
rapped around into the vena cava, the spleen was huge, blood in the abdomen=
, basically a mess. He said that he couldn't guarantee his surviving the s=
urgery; he could bleed out. But, given that surgery was his only chance, I=
told him to proceed.
He actually survived the surgery and is at home doing fine. He lost nearly=
1/2 lb. just from the removal of the left adrenal gland and spleen. We ar=
e awaiting the pathology report on all 3 tissue samples.
Doc showed me the removed organs. The spleen was easily as large as my han=
d. The left adrenal was not quite as large as a tennis ball, but close to =
it. It was split open and very bloody, from rupturing. Because of the siz=
e of the left adrenal, he gave him a Percorten injection, his routine when =
a large adrenal gland is removed. While Doc routinely uses 5-6 hemoclips d=
uring adrenal surgeries, he used 50+ because of all of the bleeding. Possu=
m definitely couldn't get thorough a metal detector at the airport! LOL
Here is a picture of him when I got him. You can see the hourglass shape o=
f what we hoped was his spleen.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/45664916/277959694GguRUK
Here is a picture of him after surgery, with his wonderful vet (permission =
given to post photo). Notice the difference in his body shape.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/45664916/281505425dibmas
I am posting about this because I consider Possum to be a miracle. I think=
he is with me for a reason. His previous owner dumped him (along with ano=
ther ferret who was adopted), the shelter called me quickly, and my vet act=
ed quickly to take care of him. Doc truly thinks he wouldn't have lived an=
other week with all of the bleeding. Now, he's walking around, eating well=
, and getting stronger every day. He had so much trouble walking before an=
d is having to learn to walk minus all that extra weight. :) =
This showed me that there always is hope, and they're all worth trying to s=
ave. It also showed me what a wonderful skilled vet I have (I really alrea=
dy knew that). This truly tested his skills.
Katharine
http://community.webshots.com/user/katharine524