On 1 Oct 00, at 23:22, Bruce Williams, DVM wrote:
>Questions like this beg for proper autopsies - when all the clinical
>symptoms fit the diagnosis, perhaps one isn't necessary - but in this
>case, a relatively young ferret dying unexpectedly in spite of apparently
>appropriate therapy - it would have been nice to have one.
>
>We live and learn, and try to do better for those who come afterward.
Thank you Dr. Williams. It's funny. After sending this post I realized I
was really clutching at straws. I never was too rational when it came to
my Tarz.
I do wish I'd had the biopsies sent to you originally, though I think I'd
heard you were doing something else at the time and not available or as
available to receive samples. There was a biopsy taken from the pancreas
at surgery, and examined. Islet cell tumors were reported. The vomiting
did stop after surgery (with the help of reglan-sp?), after the huge node
was removed, and Tarz did gain quite a bit of weight back and have good
energy, so it appears the tumor was a large part of the problem. I saw the
removed node, or tumor, though no pictures were taken I know of. It looked
hardish, larger than a grape.
I know I should have had an autopsy done on Tarz.... but after the
surgery/biopsies, and chemo, at the time it seemed obvious that the lympho
and/or chemo killed him, plus I was plain worn out and wanted to let his
little body be, a decision I regreted badly soon after. His red count was
down to 25% right after the last intravenous chemo treatment. It dropped
quickly afterward. He woke up one morning dizzy and unsteady, a couple
days after the count and chemo treatment, and died early the next morning.
A transfusion didn't help. I think the chemo killed him, though of course
it could have been other complications (and perhaps the compromised
pancreas had a part somewhere). If monitoring CBC's were being done and
revealed the low red count perhaps that last treatment would have been
avoided with a different ending. So many ifs... sure has been a hard one
to let go of. Tarzee's vets did a great job trying to help him. His loss
reminds me to appreciate the loving beings I have in my life.
Thank you again for your input, Dr. Williams. I really appreciate it.
Lynn, still missing Tarz
[Posted in FML issue 3192]
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