----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark E. Huss" <[log in to unmask]
To: <[log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 8:32 PM
Subject: FML: Cart before the horse
 
>hello,
>
>I don't mean to take advantage of your kindness, but here's what we know.
>
>The ferret is 6, and quite suddenly lost a lot of weight.  We took to her
>to our vet, who checked her and palpatated (right word?) a hard lump in
>her lower abdomen, and said it was likely to be lymphosarcoma.  She did
>not recommend any blood tests or a biopsy.
>
>As I mentioned in my FML post, she has owned ferrets before, including one
>who had lympho and chemo.
>
>FWIW, this same vet correctly suspected pancreanoma in our oldest ferret,
>which had a partial pancreatotomy 15 months ago and is still hanging in.
>
>I sent you this directly to avoid adding bulk to the FML, but feel free to
>post this and a reply there if you think it's appropriate.
>
>best regards,
>
>mark, midge & the fuzzie five.
 
>>Cart before the horse.  You say the diagnosis is "probably lymphosarcoma".
>>
>>What tests have been done?  Chemotherapy is not a benign process, as your
>>vet's previous experience will indicate.  You need a definitive diagnosis
>>of lymphoma before,chemotherapy is even anticipated - chemotherapy is
>>actually not very, likely to cause remission in a ferret with lymphoma,
>>but definitely will,make one that doesn't have pretty sick.
>>
>>Perhaps if you reviewed the case, I may be able to give you some more,
>>specific information.
 
Dear Mark:
 
This lump could be a number of things other than lympho - an adrenal tumor,
a smooth muscle tumor, a swollen kidney, and more.  While palpation is good
for establishing whether there is a neoplasm present, it doesn't tell which
type, and without other signs, such as bloodwork values or a wider range of
lymph nodes (especially the many that are easily palpable aorund the body
enlarged), I don't think that you can tell which ones are lympho and which
ones are other condition.
 
You may make a mistake in giving chemo for lymphoma, when you are actually
dealing with a more treatable tumor that does not respond to the meds for
lympho.
 
The best next step in this case would be to schedule a surgery, remove the
mass, and have it sent to a pathologist to determine precisely what type
of tumor it is, and what the best therapy would be.
 
With kindest regards,
 
Bruce Williams, dVM
[Posted in FML issue 3303]