From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2008-03-23 15:38:16 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Fatty's Head Tumor
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Deb, according to past posts of Dr. Bruce Williams, marvelous ferret
veterinary pathologist, that is a common location for benign osteomas
in ferrets -- not a common tumor type but a common location (top
and back of head) for them when they occur. You are spot-on wanting
an x-ray. In
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG4970
he writes
BEGIN QUOTE
Regarding the hard lesion on top and back of head, osteomas
(benign tumors of bone) are most commonly seen in that spot.
An x-ray will likely make this diagnosis for you.
END QUOTE
Also see his post
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG1824
which includes
BEGIN QUOTE
If you can't aspirate it, then you remove one for microscopic
examination. Retrobulbar masses, if there really is one, are
most commonly lymphoma (it is not an uncommon site for
development of the tumor.) Usually, though, lymphoma can
be aspirated. A rock had mass on the skull may be an osteoma,
a benign tumor of bone (and something that can easily be
demonstrated on an X-ray.)
I can't tell if all of the tumors are realted here, or if you may
coincidentalyy have a couple coming up at the same time. Osteomas
are fairly slow-growing, though.
Best course of action - X-ray of the head right before excision of one
of the tumors.
END QUOTE
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/PDF/neoplasia.pdf
middle page 2, end of page 4
I will have to try to find the time to look up more info on the kind of swelling
that can occur with one type of salivary gland problem, but I think that is slightly
differently located (though it does show up surprisingly high for ferrets) and softer.
This sounds less like your description:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/SCC/SCC.html
even if that location is used
If you have power point and Explorer this could possibly be useful but I can't
recall content offhand:
Neoplasia in the Ferret
near the bottom of
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "DebraJean" <debifuzzyloving@...> wrote:
>
> My question is directed to al the vets on this board and experienced
> ferret people here.
>
> I have added a photo of Fatty's head and tumor to the photo section.
> Have any of you seen anything like this??
>
> [Photo URL:
> http://pets.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/photos/browse/2b01 ]=
>
> My vet and I haven't. She has seen him prior to me recieving him.
>
> Fatty was surrendered to me yesterday with me knowing about his problem.
> The growth/tumor is not soft tissue, it hard like bone and does have a
> center ridge on the back of it. His owner said this lump/tumor apeared
> in the begining of the year and has grown to the size it is now in the
> picture. He is unable to walk as we feel this "LUMP" is putting
> preasure on his motor nerves. We are sceduling surgery to try and
> remove it but I have the fear that it is actuay part of his skull.I
> have sent an e-mail to my vet with a request of doing xrays before
> surgery.
>
> Fatty does eat with some help by hand and urinates and defficate on his
> own. He can move by "Swimming" on his side.(A Ferret Flyer is on it's
> way to us.)
> Is it possible that this could be the same condition as the "Elephant"
> man??
>
> Debi
> Fuzzy
> Loving Ferret Rescue
>
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/