>From:    Kelly Cameron <[log in to unmask]>
>I have a 5year old male ferret that has been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma
>of the prepuce.  He had the tumor removed 3 months ago, and now it appears
>to be back.  My vet thinks to remove this tumor we may have to reroute his
>"plumbing".  I am wondering if anyone has had this done with a male ferret,
>and how the ferret fared afterward?  I don't want to put him through this
>if it is going to be too traumatic for him, as it may not add that much
>more time to his life.  Right now he seems well, and still loves playing
>with the Christmas Ornaments under the tree, so far it hasn't interfered
>with his quality of life, but seems to be growing fast.
 
Hi Julie
 
I have a little boy that has had prepucial adenocarcinoma for some time -
we don't know a lot about his history as he was picked up stray with the
tumor already abcessed and burst (Dr Fisher has photos of the size of the
tumor - it was about the size of a silver dollar, with the center abcess
about the size of dime).
 
PeeDee came into the shelter in March of 2000 - had immediate surgery to
remove the tumor.  He had a second surgery three months later to remove
additional cancerous growths and reroute his urethra.  A third surgery was
performed in September - and to date has not had a recurrance - the vet is
cautiously optimistic that we got it all this last time.  PeeDee has been
an excellent candidate for surgery - and has recovered quickly each time.
He is a happy, healthy ferret who is about 4-5 years old.  Its kind of
interesting that for both PeeDee and your little boy, three months is the
key time frame....
 
I wouldn't hesitate to do the surgery - this type of cancer seems to be
both invasive and aggressive - and it may give him the chance at a normal
life.
 
I hope that this helps and that your little one will be okay.
 
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
http: www.ferrethaven.org
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[Posted in FML issue 3272]