From:
Steve Austin
Date: 2006-05-28 16:45:20 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] aspirate a mass or exploratory
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
if the ultimate goal is removal, regardless of what it is- then surgery
can both remove and biopsy for diagnosis. If it is thought to be in the
intestines,
and causing some kind of blockage- then removal is probably best
done sooner than later.
Aspiration can aid in diagnosis, the type of cells can help figure
out what kind of mass this is. From inflammatory to cancerous.
IF the aspiration can get a good sample- and then you can decide
if you want to go ahead and remove it with surgery, or if poor prognosis
maybe medical treatments instead. You are right in the fact that it
will delay treament and take probably a week to find out results.
Breast lumps and thyroid nodules are aspirated all the time in humans for
diagnosis.
Lymph nodes are often aspirated as well.
I have had a ferret with intra-abdominal mass that was needle
aspirated and came back carcinoma, poorly differentiated -bad
prognosis, so that helped make the decision for treatment and surgery
was not done.
Another ferret, felt like mass was in intestine and he had weight loss
and diarrhea- since it could have been a foreign body-surgery was done
and it was removed. Unfortunately, that was adenocarcinoma of the colon.
Hope that helps some.
Patty
> I took her in to the vet and did an ultrasound. He couldn't really
> tell what if anything the mass was attached to. It was filled with
> fluid and that is all he could really tell. He said it might be
> attached to the tip of the spleen. He gave me three options- just
> monitor, sedate and aspirate or exploratory surgery. He thought
> sedate and aspirate was best. I thought that you really couldn't
> tell anything with an aspiration of unknown origin. I don't know
> where I got that from though. Is there anything else I should be
> looking at or for? She has always been a healthy ferret. Seedy poops
> now and then but that is about it. For some nagging reason I think
> that the aspirate is a waste. Can you guys straighten me out?
> thanks, Mary JO
====================================================================<<<
Whatever you Wanadoo, click below:
http://ads.smartgroups.com/adclick/CID=000000b7c79a99a500000000
====================================================================>>>
--
If you want to share pictures, use the calendar, or start a vote
visit http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
To leave the group, email: ferrethealth-unsubscribe@smartgroups.com
Report abuse http://www.smartgroups.com/text/abusereport.cfm?gid%3D1423922&mid%3D17478