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>have a 4 1/2 year old neutered male, Scooter. His spleen is extremely
>enlarged. My vet scheduled him for having his spleen removed Tuesday,
>July 30. The bloodwork had both his red and white blood cells being low.
>I know this is very serious, and I'm very worried about my little guy.
>My vet feels that he can live a normal life with out it. I wonder if
>there are any problems after removal with vaccine reactions. What can
>be done post-op to keep him comfortable?
 
Dear Y:
This is not a complicated operation and side effects are few.  You very
well may see him improve markedly after the removal of a very large
spleen.  There are no problems with vaccination down the road, and
outside of the possibility of a little postoperative pain medication
(which isn't always necessary), he should not experience undue
post-surgical pain.  In fact, this is an operation that most people say
their ferrets really bounce back quickly from, as they generally feel
better quickly.  Imaging having a 40 pound spleen inside you!
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3855]