FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
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Sun, 14 Jan 2001 13:30:48 -0500 |
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Dear Sue:
>Says too, that the itch is not from allergic reaction..(as if I didn't
>know that). He also warned me that he could become very agressive towards
>the other ferrets in the cage. Told me to keep his nails short which I
>already do. He told me that the itching is from "dry skin". Jonesys skin
>does not appear to be dry. I asked some questions I wish I had not asked.
>Seems like the tumors will spread to his little liver and finally to the
>prostate.
Actually, it sounds like your vet has a lot of the facts about adrenal
disease, but doesn' have them correct.
Itchiness is a common sign of adrenal disease in ferrets - if you treat
the adrenal disease, it goes away. If you don't, you can expect him to
have it continuously.
REgarding adrenal tumors - the neoplasm only rarely spreads to the liver
(and that is if you don't do surgery, as he is advising ) and NEVER go to
the prostate - the prostatic changes are secondary to the estrogen that
the tumor secretes, and not the result of tumor metastasis.
>Says if the prostate becomes enlarged, we could put him on meds to shrink
>it and then do some surgery, but prognosis is not good at that point and
>that he could die while we wait for the prostate to shrink enough for the
>surgery to be done.. He continues to discourage surgery..says you can
>never get all the tumors on the pancreas so will only prolong things and
>that they will continue to grow back..
It seems as if this particular vet is well-versed in what happens when you
don't do surgery - he seems to have a lot of experience, and STILL doesn't
recommend it?!! Adrenal surgery is the standard of care today and adds SO
much to most ferrets lives.
We can make this short - find a ferret vet who is willing to do the
surgery and go for it. This vet is not helping Jonesy at all.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3298]
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