My little guy, who showed up on my doorstep 6 years ago is sick.  He was
limp and looked like he was already gone.  I rushed him, (in hysterics)
to the emergency animal hospital.  I didn't know what happened.  He came
to.  They did blood work and ultra sound and x-rays and sent me to my vet
the next day.
 
They told me the blood work and the swelled lymph glands point to cancer.
The x-ray shows that he has an enlarged spleen and a mass that is pushing
against his kidney and liver and pushing his intestines down.  Needless
to say, for the first three days I had no sleep, lots of tears and fear
mixed with panic.
 
On top of him being sick, his belly was shaved for the ultra sound.  He
was on IV and had a port in his little leg, he neck was shaved for a
needle biopsy to see if they could extract some cancer cells.  He was
away from home for the night being poked and prodded the whole time.
The only food he had was nutri-cal.  I go on and on and I apologize.
He is an only ferret and I love him so much.  I just cry when I think of
him being sick and in a strange place with strange people doing strange
things.
 
Back to the illness.  I do understand that the medical test were
necessary.  He got one more blood test to see if the blood would clot so
they could get a biopsy of the spleen.  I guess spleens bleed and if his
blood would not clot he would bleed to death.  I got to take him home
that night because the vets office has no one there at night.  The
emergency hospital would not let me pick him up because the said he need
the IV even though he was eating nutical.  He would have eating ferret
food, but they had none.
 
Okay, here I go to the point.  The night I got to take him home, I stayed
up all night to monitor him.  He slept on my bed cuddled up in a blanket
for the first time in his life.  I went to pet his little head he was did
not respond.  I spent over an hour, petting him and singing to him and
telling him how much I love him.  Thinking he was leaving me right at
that time.  And then he gave a big yawn, opened his eyes and started
with the ferret kisses.
 
Finally, here is my question.  I decided not to give him back to the vet
to biopsy his spleen.  My vet told me that she is 99% and then 100% sure
it is lymphoma, but needs the cells to give chemotherapy.  I decided
against chemo.  He is between 6 and 7.  He has the cancer in all his
organs and his glands are swollen.  The mass in his stomach is large.
And instead of having him poked and prodded in a strange place, with
strange people, He is home and snuggling up in all his favorite places
with all his favorite toys and I have not been to work since this
happened, to be with him.  It is just me and him and my work has been
understanding but only up to point and I am expected back on Monday.  The
vet was able to prescribe prednisolone which should relieve some of the
swelling and discomfort.  I just picked it up and the label scares me.
It says not to miss a treatment and it can't be stopped.  I know it is
serious medication.  His belly is so blown up now, I am hoping it will
bring it down.
 
The article I just read on this site said it might blow up?  What side
effects can I expect?  How long will I be able to keep him with me.  I
won't let him suffer.  But it will be hard to let go.  I worry about
going back to work and leaving him alone all day.What if he gets sick, or
passes away?  Can you please give me some advice, some assurance and
assistance?  Thank you.  Me and my baby Alex thank you.  He went to
emergency hospitol on Dec 26. this is very new.  He just got his
medicatin today and still sleeping and has not recieved any.
[Posted in FML issue 4742]