Message Number: FHL12914 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Amy Seyler"
Date: 2011-02-25 01:00:48 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Intestinal lymphoma - treatment/opinion
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>

Rory has developed some sniffles and sneezing, so he saw the vet Tuesday ev=
ening. Blood work was good except low PCV; he=E2=80=99s on Pet Tinic for th=
at. Clavamox for the sniffles. The spot on his lung was just about gone on =
X-rays. I got the chemo treatment plan while I was there. This will be an i=
nvolved and expensive process. It=E2=80=99s a four-week cycle repeated twic=
e, and then if he=E2=80=99s in remission every other week. But unlike Andre=
a=E2=80=99s situation mine will definitely include IV meds. This is not Tuf=
ts and not COP; it=E2=80=99s been developed by the oncology department of t=
he Animal Medical Center in NYC (moderators =E2=80=93 is it okay to mention=
this protocol by name?).
[ I think so. -- moderator]
My vet said he=E2=80=99s had some good experience with it. The first 8 wee=
ks will cost somewhere around $1600; about $200/week. Not to mention I work=
full time and must drive from NC to VA to get him in for treatment (1.5 ho=
urs each way).

The protocol looks like this (moderators hope this is okay; just would like=
it in the archives if possible for others):
First: L-asparaginase @ 400 IU/kg given one time only
Five days after L-asparaginase, begin weekly protocol
Week 1: vincristine @ 0.07 mg/kg IV
Week 2: cyclophosphamide @ 10 mg/kg PO
Week 3: vincristine @ 0.07 mg/kg IV
Week 4: methotrexate @ 0.5 mg/kg SQ

In addition he will be taking pred at 2 mg/kg divided BID (twice a day) thr=
oughout therapy. Most of what I have read from you kind folks have indicate=
d that pred alone will not give him more than a few months; this is the bes=
t option for an otherwise =E2=80=9Chealthy=E2=80=9D ferret. I=E2=80=99ve ha=
d ferrets for 22 years, and this will be new stuff for me. Amazing how if y=
ou own them long enough it seems you get to experience everything at one ti=
me or another.

Vets =E2=80=93 have any of you on the list tried this protocol above, and w=
hat was your experience?


> Pred is an option, but in my experience, chemo is going to give the ferre=
t a better chance and a better quality of life. I think side effects are w=
orse with Pred. Rayna had the 2nd Tufts protocol. Gus had a totally new p=
rotocol, you cant even call it that, his Dr. called it the Gus Protocol. N=
ow this was all meds or pills that could be given at home and not too expen=
sive. All the drugs had been used on ferrets previously. My Dr. got very =
specific about the type of lymphoma Gus had and chose the particular drugs =
from there. There was regular blood tests and exams, but was not a huge 'i=
nconvenience' like the original Tufts protocol that usually required weekly=
/bi-weekly vet visits. The only other thing I remember is that maybe once =
or twice Gus' white count got a little low, so the Dr. also put him on anti=
biotics as a safety protective.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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