Hey everybody,

I know I haven't posted in a long while, but internet access is hard to
come by in the VI. I brought my two stateside fuzzies, MJ and Oracle,
down to St Thomas in March 2006. MJ turns five in June, and Oracle
turned 4 in February (You may remember them from past posts of their
misadventures ;-) ). Anyways, on Tuesday night, I noticed that Oracle
had lumps all over her left side, with the largest being under her
arm. I know they were not there a a week ago, when I left for Atlanta.
Anyways, she was well cared for in my absence, but when I found the
lumps (BIG lumps, the one under her arm inhibited movement) I freaked
out.l She also has a fever (104). I tok her to the vet, who thankfully
is ferret knowledgeable on Wednesday, who scheduled surgery with an
even better vet on Thusday. Orcs did not take well to the isoflurane
and had to be woken up up before the vet could take a CBC and X-Ray,
but not before he removed most of the mass under her arm, and sent it
to be biopsied.

Here's the low down...the vet looked at some cells under a scope
and said they do not appear to be mast cell tumors. The lumps are
extra-abdomnial, with the one under her arm just beginning to get into
muscle tissue (most advanced). They do not present like lymphoma. She
also has a hardened mass (extra-abdominal) just below her rib cage that
the vet swears would be breast cancer in a cat (do ferrets get breast
cancer?). Does anyone have experience with anything like this? She is
a Marshall's baby, so I'm preparing for the worst, but both me and the
vet, who have seen some pretty weird ferrety ailments, are stumped.
None of the lumps hurt her except for the underarm one, which he
removed (originally thought to be a lymph node, now probably not).
She also has blood and extra proteins in her urine, which may or may
not be causing the fever. Vet doesn't want to treat until he sees
biopsy results.

Anyone with any ideas, please post or e-mail me privately. I'm worried
sick about my baby. She's recovering like a champ, quickly discarding
her e-collar. We fashioned a sock with leg holes to protect the
stitches from her seeking teeth, which she proceeded to squeeze her
shoulder out of, defeating the purpose. So we sewed a sock sleeve onto
the sock hole, and put a drawstring through the colar to protect her.
She wiggled out of that, but I think I kept the string too loose (dpn't
want her to choke). Finally I gave up, and she is sleeping peacefully
in her cuddle-cup. I would like to let her sisteers and brother hang
with her, but I don't know how soon is too soon. Please advise.

Love, Sara and Oracle
(and the fuzzy amigos, MJ, Munchkin, Tucker, and her new friend
Murphy the BatCat)

[Posted in FML 5563]