We recently adopted a ferret into our family. He is 6 years old and
has adrenal disease. He appears happy and is fairly active but had a
big tight belly.

We took him to our vet where he received a disloren implant. Our vet
did a brief ultra sound and recommended more tests which would require
sedation so he could do a more through ultrasound.

He had those test yesterday all his organs look good, his adrenals were
not visualized which means they are not very enlarged. He does have an
enlarged spleen and one big mesenteric lymphnode. He has something that
I can't spell or even remember the name but it means strawberry fluid.
They took off 160cc of this fluid (he is a lot thinner now). Our vets
says the fluid is likely to come back but it should make him more
comfortable for now. Cats usually get this fluid thing and its rare
in ferrets.

We are waiting for test results, there are a couple things that may
cause it, but our vet suspects Lymphoma and in his words he is
"concerned". I know from experience when he says he is concerned its
something really major. In the past it was always something that was
immanently life threatening.

His name is Piccolo and he is a sweet happy ferret and as I said he is
6 years old and fairly active and does not show signs of feeling sick.

Piccolo being ill, like this, is double troubling because we have
his litter mate whom hes been with all his life (he also has adrenal
disease and an implant). We feel these two are bonded and fear what
my happen to one if the other was to pass away.

When the test results come back I'll be asking our vet these questions
but in the mean time I thought I would get some information. We've had
ferrets for over 6 years but so far we have not had any that have had
Lymphoma.

What can we expect for Piccolo if he does have lymphoma? What kinds of
treatments are out there and how much do they cost?

Thank You
Mike

[Posted in FML 7834]