Unfortunately, lymphoma will sometimes require you to put a ferret to sleep before they are "ready" to go due to all of the things you described. Sometimes a tumor makes it very hard for them to breathe, as ferrets have lungs that are already somewhat limited in area for them to expand due to their unique anatomy. If a ferret I have has an x-ray showing involvement with the lungs, heart, or other chest area, and the ferret is having issues eating or drinking for several days, and prednisone has not helped - I have made the decision before to put the ferret to sleep rather than suffer by eventually not being able to breathe. However, this is always a case by case basis. Since your girl is doing just fine, you're doing good - just when you see she is having trouble, you'll know why, and your decision will be easier. They can always do an x-ray to see what is being pushed or pressed on. Lymphoma can involve rapid growth of tumors, and sometimes they will be in very bad places - cutting off blood supply if they press on a certain area in the abdomen; blocking the food from traveling through intestines; all sorts of things. I've had these tumors go from pea sized to ping pong ball sized overnight, requiring immediate surgery to find the problem and see if the tumor is removable. I would say out of over a dozen ferrets I have had with lymphoma, only 1 had non-metastacized, removable lymph nodes. The rest, were usually either xrayed or if the situation was dire, as in they lost much of their body weight and were dying, were opened up to see if they could be saved rather than do x-rays. These ferrets were put to sleep. I did have one lymphoma fuzzy who just died right in the hallway. It wasn't a stroke; the necropsy showed a tumor pressed on her vena cava, thus cutting off her circulation. I would like to know what medicine, if possible, your vet prescribed for the peristalsis, since it could be very useful. I never thought of that! Good luck with your girl - I have seen ferrets live a few days to over a year when diagnosed with lymphoma. It varies in aggressiveness and that is why vets usually give a bad prognosis - that way you're prepared for the worst, but it's always great when they prove the vet wrong ;) Laryssa [Posted in FML 6645]