From:
caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com
Date: 2009-02-25 19:33:34 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] laser rather than cryo
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
First, Sukie, that was an excellent post.
Shortly before our original vet retired I asked the cryo vs. laser vs.
traditional microsurgery question. His answer at the time was that the
method that a given vet is most comfortable with is the method that is
going to work best. He hadn't seen any evidence that laser surgery was
better than traditional surgery. He had tried cryo and had gone back to
traditional surgery.
Our current vet was a proponent of cryo at the time. Now she does some
cryo and some traditional microsurgery depending on the case.
Both of these vets are outstanding and have had excellent results. All
of my ferrets who have had adrenal surgery save for Ella were with the
original vet. Ella's surgery was done four years ago and was a left.
It was done by our current vet.
I must say that either I have been extremely fortunate with right
adrenal surgery on my ferrets or else that first vet was really someone
very special. He claimed a success rate at >90%. He was three for
three with my ferrets, including Podo, who had right adrenal surgery at
age seven and a half. Podo lived for another two and a half years with
excellent quality of life. Pertwee, my most medically challenged weasel
ever, had four years after his right adrenal gland was removed. His
left was already gone.
None of my ferrets have ever had cryo or laser surgery. Chin Soon's
upcoming adrenal surgery may be the first or then again it may not be.
It depends on what the vet finds when she goes in.
I appreciate your efforts to educate us, Sukie. I think this is
valuable information. I also think that the quality of the veterinary
surgeon matters more than the tool they choose to use. Having said that
it does seem that cryosurgery is falling out of favor.
As always, YMMV, and like Sukie I am not a vet. I also don't have
nearly as much experience as Sukie does.
All the best,
Caity and the terrific trio
(Ella, Zephyr, Chin Soon)
-------- Original Message --------
From: Sukie Crandall <sukiec@optonline.net>
I needed to look up cryo info for a vet recently.
He is an excellent classic surgeon but is looking
for options when the Vena Cava is compromised.
A summary of the major things that I learned so far:
1. The main vet who popularized the use of cryo
for ferrets no longer uses it. He instead uses
a special type of laser (brochure is to be send to
me) and finds that it gives better control, has fewer
chances of scarring and of bleeding, and winds
up with less tissue regrowth. He has even used it
on 9 year olds.
2. There is a study published in the AVMA in
which greater probability of dying after surgery
was connected with cryo use, but of course, cryo
a number of vets reserve cryo for cases where the
Cava presents a problem so those would be more
difficult, anyway, and I don't know if the study
controlled for that.
3. Multiple vets who replied said that they personally
had chosen to not go with cryo.
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