From:
"kristinepotter"
Date: 2011-07-31 23:40:48 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Possibly Lymphoma-- don't know what else to do
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi, All--
I'm at a total loss, and my vets aren't sure what to make of the
situation with my 4-yr-old, Zoe. I've uploaded copies of her Chem Panel
from yesterday and her Medical History from the past few weeks
(Zoe_Chart_pg_1 & "_pg_2). Those files are in the folder Files>Case
Files>Zoe Potter
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/files/Case%20Files/Zoe%2\
0Potter/
<http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/files/Case%20Files/Zoe%\
20Potter/>
Just over 3 wks ago, Zoe had swelling under her chin. By the following
morning she had tremendous amount of edema in her face. Her vet was not
in so we saw the on call. Concerned about Lymphoma, the vet aspirated a
lymph node, examined aspirate under microscope, and said he "wasn't
happy w/ what he saw." He noted, however, that he did not see any of
the "dividing cells" he'd expect to see in cancer. Nonetheless, we
scheduled a biopsy for the following Monday, three weeks ago tomorrow.
The sample was sent to the lab, and Zoe came home on Prednisone 5mg, 1/2
tablet X2 daily, and Clavamox 62.5mg/ml, .25ml X2 daily. The following
Friday, lab sample result came back "inconclusive." All the vet could
tell me was that the lad identified necrotic tissue. As the swelling
was reduced significantly (not gone), vet thought Zoe had an infection
and said continue treatment with Clavamox and start taper w/ Pred.
One week later, Zoe seemed to take a bad turn. She wasn't eating as
much, appeared to be getting lethargic, had increased swelling, and I
felt a nodule-type lump under the skin, behind and below her jaw. I
spoke with HER vet, who increased the Pred again and advised I keep her
prescheduled appointment for the following Monday when her sutures were
to be removed or to bring her in early if she started having more
serious symptoms.
So, Monday, 7/25, I took her in with symptoms not improved. She also
had started bruxing whenever she ate. That day her blood glucose was
59mg/dl. She'd never tested low bg in the past nor had signs of
insulinoma, but WHILE AT THE VET she started pawing at her mouth! Vet
diagnosed insulinoma and started Prednisone 5mg/ml with 16ml valsyrup,
0.3ml X2 daily. Vet thought perhaps insulinoma was stress induced by
the surgery, so we'd keep her on the pred for 1 week and recheck her.
This past Friday, I spoke with another vet on call because Zoe was
becoming much more lethargic and was eating less. The vet increased
pred dose to 0.35ml that night and the following morning to see if her
activity/appetite would increase. I called the office the following
morning to report she wasn't doing better and had started passing stools
with mucous and fresh blood. Vet said to bring her in.
That visit was yesterday, which is when we also ran the chem panel.
According to the vet, the only abnormality was low Albumin. Vet thought
Zoe was perhaps having a GI reaction to Pred, so started Sucralfate
100mg/ml w/ 10ml valsyrup, 0.13ml X3 daily, and Cimetidine HCL 50mg/ml
in 6cc valsyrup, 0.1ml X2 daily.
That brings me to today, and Zoe isn't any better. Now she is going off
her food entirely. She will have a little bit of freeze dried chicken
and will not take any soup or Gerber. I have fluids ready to go, but
she isn't showing signs of dehydrating YET. We see her vet again
tomorrow. Her vet is talking about doing another biopsy and/or
exploratory and/or sending us to Madison to the vet school.
I don't know what to do at this point. Zoe is getting so thin and is
terribly weak. I have considered watering down her soup and giving
administering it by syringe. I don't know if I should try to stay AHEAD
of her hydration by getting extra fluids into her now, as I'm concerned
waiting for symptoms could be too late as sick as she is at this point.
She isn't doing anything except sleeping and occasionally pooping, which
I expect will also decrease as she's not eating.
One thing I wanted to note in addition to the above is that I have
concluded she has had slightly green colored urine on and off for
several months. I had thought it was her poo that was sometimes green
and perhaps reacting to a treat or food coloring from something;
however, neither of my other ferrets have had any color changes in there
poo. My vet has not been concerned about her color-changes, but I only
realized yesterday that it is her urine that's tinged, not her poo. Is
that urine a symptom that we have been missing, maybe?
Please have a look at her files if you think you can help. I'm really
afraid we could be over looking something that, if treated, could make
the difference in whether we might save her or not. Thank you, in
advance, for whatever advice you can offer.
Kristine--and also Athena and Heri
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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