From:
"fdbp_ferrets"
Date: 2007-10-20 01:51:19 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Lymphoma - chemo and pred, only pred or none?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hello,
Last week my 7yo male ferret went into surgery to have a big hairball
removed from his stomach. Vet took the opportunity to get tissue from
some organs to get biopsies, due to the ferret age and also trying to
find out the reason for diarrhea that comes and goes.
Biopsies results indicate insulinoma (although half of his pancreas
was removed on this same surgery, as a tumor was easily detected),
the pancreas tumor was carcinoma, and the worst: he has lymphoma - no
symptoms of any of these diseases so far. He's recovered from surgery
already!
Vet suggested chemo using vincristine, and we are about to start
giving pred to the little guy. I know there are many other drugs for
chemo, but we live in Brazil and I'm not sure if we have all these
drugs here.
Anyway, some questions:
1 - Is chemo worth, considering his age and his current good general
health?
2 =96 If so, is this painful for the ferret? Are there bad symptoms?
Would he suffer?
3 =96 Would pred be enough for him at this point? He was given pred
like a year ago, for several weeks, due to diarrhea. Never got tummy
trouble.
I'm not sure if this information is relevant to my questions, but his
left adrenal gland was removed 3 years ago and he's been on melatonin
for 2 years now, 3mg every day. No signs of adrenal disease since
that surgery.
I really trust my vet and I understand that part of his job is to let
me know about my options, that's why he told me about chemo, but he
also agrees that it is not an easy decision about a 7yo ferret who is
doing so well. I would love to have my little guy around for many
more years, but I won't do absolutely nothing that could cause him
pain or suffer, even if that means I won't have him around for so
long.
Please let me know your opinions, any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Alessandra
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