From:
ginseng@neo.rr.com
Date: 2005-03-13 20:39:56 UTC
Subject: mast cell tumors
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <5.1.1.5.0.20050313150209.00b90b88@pop-server>
I have one of the 2001 Utah Rescue Ferrets. Well, I had three, now 2.
I wanted to adopt older ferrets since my lonely Girly girl was older.
From what I have found on this list, Dr Karen said the most mast cell
tumors she has found on one ferret, was four. Big Dumb Minnie has
at least 14 mast cells. I'm pretty sure she also had once had a
chordoma, that was removed from her tail before I became her last,
before the bridge, home in 2003.
Minnie is a mutt. Blaze, white face with only eyeliner for a mask. If
she were standing on her back legs, from above her tail, to just above
her feet, she is silver. Her hind feet are back to brown. Brown guard hairs
everywhere else. She is the largest of the 6 ferrets I've owned. She does
have hearing, but is blind. Maybe always has been blind? She is dumber
than a box of rocks. And has the WORST muscle tone I have ever seen!
Probably from only being caged before she was mine. (She has free roam
in the ferret room at night, and house roam during the day) She has always
had a problem eating. A bandit treat is hard to break and eat. Twiggy, #2,
had bib, knee pads and also had trouble eating, but could eat treats.
She now has developed adrenal, or at least has lost hair since her Wolves
of Calla, Icky, twin died in Dec. When letting the ferrets say goodbye to
Icky,
Minnie laid on her for a few minutes, and then tried to eat her. A habit she
learned in Utah? Something Randy in Canada should watch for in her rescues
there?
Anyway, the reason for my post. Minnie's girl parts have turned purple.
Not much swollen, but some. I have not found any reference to discolored
parts in the list archives. She isn't any different now otherwise than when I
took her in over a year ago. But a purple vagina does not seem healthy.
When she passes, would any of the vets here want her body? To examine
the many mast cell tumors? To examine her bone structure? How should
I prepare the body for shipment? Or should I just plant her under a lilac
bush beside her Calla twin?
gin