My pal Reno had grown kind of listless over the past two or three weeks :(
He is a five year old neutered male with the most gentle and loving
disposition of the all ferrets who have been my companions.  He never bites,
is 99 percent litter box trained (that is pretty good for a two-story three
bedroom apartment) and can find his way out of any cage closed by anything
short of a combination lock.
 
My DVM has a fairly large small animal practice (an oxymoron?), but little
experience with ferrets, although she had had them as pets too.  It is
already pretty hot here and it seemed strange that Reno hasn t begun the
annual spring shedding ritual where over a few weeks I lightly brush six
ferrets worth of hair off him.  He was rather bloated and his anal area was
swollen and oozing mucus (ouch!).  The DVM put him on cat lax thinking it was
some kind of intestinal blockage.  After a week there was little improvement
and an x-ray was taken today which revealed nothing (tumor shadows, etc.).
During exploratory surgery, the Doctor found his spleen to be greatly
enlarged and engorged with blood {:<}.  It was removed and Reno is in guarded
condition from both the surgery and the anesthesia.
 
My DVM hasn t been able to make a diagnosis.  The spleen showed no signs of
tumors nor contusion.  She said it may be  blood cancer  (I can t remember if
that was the exact term) and the spleen was just a symptom, but she admits to
being uncertain.  Reno had a tumor on a pad on one of his paws last December
(it was engorged too), but quickly regovered after surgery with only a slight
limp.  I asked if the spleen could be biopsied, but she said the results
would not alter the course of treatment (i.e. she doesn t know what more can
be done).  I would really appreciate any answers to the following questions:
 
1.  What are the causes of an engorged spleen?  Should it be biopsied?
 
2. What is  blood cancer  and is what is the pathology of the disease?
 
3. What is the general prognosis of ferrets undergoing spleenectomies?
 
4. Any suggestions for supportive care after such a major operation?
 
I get to see Reno later this week (hopefully).  I would appreciate getting to
share with him and my DVM any answers FML ers might have.
 
Thanks from both of us.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0801]