From:
"fristalee"
Date: 2007-04-26 00:17:57 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: not understanding ferret diagnoses..
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Lani,
I'm sorry to tell you that this pathologist report does indicate that
your ferret has squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This is a type of
tumor which is more and more commonly found on the gingiva (jaw area)
of ferrets. It occurs in dogs and cats, and up until recently nobody
knew what to do with ferrets with this problem. In cats, this tumor
is very malignant and virtually untreatable. In dogs, it's malignant
but has a much better prognosis than cats. I have had two ferrets
with this tumor, and I will fill you in on everything. After having
two ferrets go through this, I can comfortably say that ferrets
resemble dogs. This is a malignant tumor, which means that it can
spread to other areas of the body, but thankfully it usually remains a
local disease. However, without surgery your ferret may die from this
tumor.
First, I have a few questions. Exactly where is the tumor located?
Lower jaw or upper jaw, left or right, and is it more toward the front
teeth or back by the molars? The reason that I ask is that the
surgery is not as easy as your vet described it. Both of my ferrets
had tumors on their lower jaw (mandible) and both of them had to have
half of their lower jaw removed to get adequate margins. What this
means is that the tumor may be visible as only a few millimeters in
size, but there can be microscopic cells which extend further.
Because of this, the surgeon would need to obtain good margins when
removing the tumor to decrease the chance that any cells are left
behind. In a small ferret mouth, this unfortunately usually requires
half of their jaw. The procedure is called a "hemimandibulectomy"
which means that the portion of the jaw is removed from halfway in
between the canine teeth, and usually all the way back to the joint
which holds the jaw together.
This seems like a radical surgery, and I am not going to downplay it,
it is kind of radical, but you would be absolutely amazed at how well
they do afterwards. Like I said, I had two ferrets who went through
this and they both did great afterwards. One is still living, and one
lived for two years before dying of unrelated causes. They will be
swollen and bruised right after surgery, and you will need to start
them on duck soup or some other soft food for about 2-3 weeks, but
eventually once all is healed, they can eat ferret kibble just like
before. Even with half a jaw!
I know this is a lot to take in, but I do want you to know that if you
pursue surgery, your ferret may live a fairly normal life. That being
said, there is a chance that the tumor may have already spread. Your
vet should take some x-rays of the chest first, and have a good feel
of the local lymph nodes. Some vets advocate removing the mandibular
lymph node (the one right behind the jaw) just in case, but that's a
matter of opinion. We didn't remove it in my guys. If you choose not
to do the surgery, unfortunately there is not really any proven
chemotherapy. I've tried it before with a ferret, and it only bought
her a few months. The problem with these tumors is that they will
grow very quickly and they will invade the bone of the jaw, making it
painful and difficult to eat. That is why we usually recommend surgery.
Sorry this is a long post, but I just wanted to give you all the info,
as this is not published yet as far as I know. I actually wrote a
paper on it but have not gotten around to publishing it yet. Another
thing that I would want to point out, is that you may want to seek out
a board certified veterinary surgeon to perform the surgery. It is
tedious, and even many board certified surgeons are reluctant to do it
on a ferret. If you give me your area I may know somebody, or can
help you find out who is in your area.
Feel free to contact me with any other questions. I'm sorry that your
ferret has this problem, but I just want you to know that you are not
alone.
Christa
(Yes I am a vet)
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