From:
"cherylnj81"
Date: 2009-02-08 20:59:56 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Posting for a friend : Seeking Lymphoma Advice
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
{Moderator's Note: Judy sent her permission to us
FHL Moderators to have her letter carried here so
her copyright has not been infringed.]
Seeking Lymphoma Advice
I have a little girl named Perla. She is about to turn six on March
15th. She is extremely active and has no other illnesses at this time
(possible adrenal). Up until this week, she was my healthiest ferret.
She is now my sickest.
Last Sunday I noticed that her belly was VERY hard. The whole belly.
Monday we went to the vet. He felt it, agreed, and thought it was
possibly a VERY large hairball that would need to be surgically
removed. He also felt that the spleen was enlarged.
He did a barium xray on an empty stomach to confirm. He could tell
something was there, but not what.
He took her into surgery. Not long after he came out and advised....
The spleen was very large, needed to come out...and looked odd.
There was a tumor along side of the pancreas, removal would be hard
and life threatening because
it was attached to a major blood artery. He said he would try to get
it all if I wanted him to, but he could not guarantee her survival
through surgery. He also advised he suspected cancer.
My ferret was happy and playing that morning. I told him not to risk
her life and to leave it.
He removed the spleen, gave her a blood transfusion, and sent out the
spleen and piece of the tumor for a biopsy sample.
Results came back: High grade, aggressive Lymphoma.
I would like to know what everyone's experience has been with
Lymphoma. What route did you choose? What was your ferret's life
expectancy? How did they tolerate treatment? Any suggestions from
the group.
He advised I could do Chemo, which would be hard on her and life
expectancy would be 6mo to 12mo.
I could do a high dose of pred. and her life expectancy would be 4mo.
to 6mo.
He is suggesting the Pred. option, because he feels the chemo is way
too involved and wont buy much more time.
What is everyone's experiences with each, and has anyone ever heard of
or used....Essaic?
Can it be used with high doses of Pred. and oral cytoxan?
Also...why after I select a treatment...is it that I cant stop or go
back??
My vet also asked me to post for most current protocols.....from any
of the FHL vets.. and he was interested in Dr. Williams suggestion of
adding radiation.
Thank you,
Judy from Metroferret in NJ
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