>intraosseous catheter----27.50:
 
Any catheter on a ferret can be a bear to get in place... this is probably
a reasonalble charge
 
Were the ferret's veins collapsing, requiring new placements?  An
intraosseous (intra = within, os = bone) is a catheter placed into a
marrow cavity when too many veins have collapsed to be used.  Such
sequential collapses also may account for some of the earlier costs in
the bill.
 
Like Debi we have the option of taking the balance home of items that
may be useful when a container can't be used for a different animal at
the hospital, and we do not get charged for daily exams during
hospitalization, for hospitalization or for follow-up exams afterward.
In general, the costs you ran into are cheaper than here, but we are in
a very expensive community and state -- costs tend to be very regional.
You don't want to know what costs around here are like! ;-)  Your state
veterinary association may have a handle on what's typical for your area.
 
>Otis went in for surgery today and the outcome is not good.  Otis is
>having adrenal surgery for the second time.  The first time was about 2
>yrs ago.  When the went in they found that he had a tumor on his left side
>and an inoperable tumor on the right that was inside the vena cava.  Has
>anyone ever had this in thier ferret?  I really need some advice.  Should
>I just make sure he is comfortable until his time comes?  I am so upset my
>Otis is only five and it just seems so unfair.  He got his first adrenal
>tumor at age 1.  If anyone has support or has gone though this same thing
>before I would really like to speak with you!
 
Yes Seven of Six, who is running around this room somewhere right now went
through that early last year.  They debulked the tumor and then when it
became symptomatic again we began Lupron injections.  Some ferrets can
have the Vena Cava ligated, but there needs to be enough peripheral
circulation, which she just didn't have.  So, we maintain her and she is
very active and very happy, if not very hairy.  With a male you will also
need to discuss medications with your vet that can be used to shrink
prostates for when that may become a problem.  You'll find back posts here
and on the FHL from vet, Jerry Murray which discuss what meds work.  For
the future: there is research on-going on medications designed to increase
the growth rate of sturdy peripheral circulation; this is being done of
treatment of human heart disease but it may also lead to more and safer
ligations in such situations.  It's not good, but it doesn't have to be
the end of the world.
 
i always want to cry when I hear of a ferret put down for that, when the
animal may have had a while ahead with debulking and meds, when there is
not something like lympho involved.
[Posted in FML issue 3667]