Jillian,

I only have had one experience with a ferret who had a spinal tumor. He
was a rescue that my vet asked if I could take in because he thought
that it was an injury and his owner had already spent $1000.00 on
diagnostics and medications and could no longer care for him. My vet
had put him on steroids and thought with the care I would provide him
that he might improve. I agreed to take him.

When I got him he was alert although his hind end was already paralyzed
and he was incontinent. His abdomen was scalded because his owner had
not been cleaning him when he lost control of bladder and bowels. And
that was only a matter of several hours, that's when he brought him
back to the vet.

I was up with him all night feeding him, manually expressing his
bladder, bathing his hind end and administering medications. Within 8
hours his front right leg was also paralyzed, then a couple of hours
later his left front leg went. Within 12 hours he could no longer lift
his head and was completely paralyzed. At that point I knew it was time
to euthanize him and took him to the vet first thing in the morning.

His remains were sent to the regional veterinary college for necropsy
and pathological examination. I was concerned that he might have
Aleutian's Disease and the regular lab did not offer testing for
Aleutian's Disease. Because it was a teaching veterinary hospital they
examined literally everything. The diagnosis was spinal lymphoma and
metastases to the brain. Notably, the spinal tumors had not shown up on
the radiographs earlier in the week. That is how aggressive this was.

I would at least ensure that Rocky is on pain medication because any
involvement of the spine has got to be painful and it will only get
worse. Steroids did not appear to do anything for my rescue - perhaps
slowed the progression. Hard to know for certain. But he deteriorated
within hours. Had I known the diagnosis right away, I would have opted
for euthanasia rather than put him through 12 hours of hell.

Not to say, Rocky will plummet as rapidly, but I would be prepared to
act quickly if necessary.

My thoughts are with you : (

Tressie
Chair
Ferret Lovers Society of Atlantic Canada
http://www.flsatlanticcanada.org/

[Posted in FML 7110]