Hello - It has been quite a while since I have posted and confess am
woefully behind on fml - have I missed anything?  Just kidding, will try to
catch up soon.
 
I write today to tell you about two of my ferrets who recently required
emergency surgery, their history and so forth, and write about them because
both of these were a bit unusual and their story may help someone at some
time.
 
But before I do that - again remind that I am available 24 hours a day for
emergency nursing care advice for your ferret - telephone 703-765-4353 or
e-mail.  Ferrets have a way of becoming ill over holidays or on weekends.
 
Pepper - Pepper is a 4 yr.  4 mos old MF ferret who was a pet store rescue
(so o.k.  be critical of me, I bought him to get him out of a bad situation)
- but I have never been sorry for a moment.  He stayed and is one of the
most special ferrets I have ever been owned by.  Adored by all ferrets here,
whether whole or unholy, he is a "care ferret" and number one kit sitter
until past year due to ucler - probably from all the rambunctious kits!
 
Previous history - approximately a year and a half ago experienced an ulcer
which was successfully treated without recurrance.  Also, periodic enlarged
spleen, noted following bout with ulcers.  Otherwise has been healthy.
 
Nearly three weeks ago now, I noted he appeared nauseated.  Isolated in
hospital cage, it soon became apparant he was not passing stools - pretty
good indication of blockage.  I at first thought he might have ingested some
of a tough vinyl toy that I had found with nose and few other pieces chewed
off.  This was going into weekend - but was able to get him in on emergency
vet visit.  During examination I mentioned that he had been "bothering the
girls" once in a while for last week or so.  This can sometimes be an
indication of beginning adrenal disease in male ferrets.  Pepper showed no
other signs of adrenal disease - coat and skin and muscle tone good.
However, he was also showing signs of mild ataxia (hindquarter weakness) -
probably because he was not eating and had gone on fluids pending suspected
blockage diagnosis.  Also could indicate hypo-glycemia.  Game plan - His vet
unable to do surgery until Monday a.m.  since she was alone at vet clinic
and without vet tech.  Emergency surgery scheduled for Monday a.m.  & Pepper
came home with me.  I gave him oral fluids, STAT (marvelous & easily
digestible) and sub-q fluids.  Very important for suspected blockage to keep
ferret hydrated but not feed ferret anything that will add more to blockage.
Monday exploratory would remove blockage, check pancreas for turmors and
possibly remove left adrenal.
 
Monday, Pepper was in pretty good shape, alert and weighed in at 3-1/2
pounds.  Pepper is a rather large MF ferret with top weight going over 4
pounds, so he was down a bit, but not much.  He was going into surgery with
all vet technology has to offer on support - the works.  However, as time
went by, I became more concerned - I knew about how long to expect him to be
in.......he was in surgery for over 4 hours.
 
His surgery, I am sure, was every Veterinarian's nightmare.  He had
metastized bi-lateral cancer of the adrenals.  The bowel blockage was caused
by the cancer, which had totally closed off the bowel.  The cancer was on
the vena cava.  His vet was able to remove all but a very small section.  In
addtion, four beta cell carcinomas were "popped" from the pancreas (pancreas
palpated for location of tumors and small incision made to remove just the
tumors without removing large section on pancreas).  His spleen was also
removed.
 
The adrenal is a very small gland - like a tiny baby pea.  The cancerous
adrenals removed from Pepper was approximately 1/2 cup of tissue - quite
shocking to see - I had never seen adrenal tissue like that before.  Amazed
his vet could get it out.  The spleen was very large, but on dissection,
showed no visible signs of cancer (but of course it had already matastized).
Beta cell tumors of the pancreas are really tiny -seen those before.
 
It was actualy quite amazing that Pepper survived the surgery - this
attributed to skill of his vet.  I bring my ferrets home immediately post-op
to care for; and so Pepper came home.  Prognosis not good.  However, the
first thing I noted on getting him home was that he was able to regulate his
temperature - he kept moving off the thick sheepskin pad with heating pad
under it.  He accepted oral fluids half pedialyte/half ensure & STAT.  I
must say, his post-operative course was uneventful aside from extreme
weakness.  When we passed the 24 hour mark, I was heartened and past the 48
hour mark - felt he might make it.  As I write these words, he is pressed up
against me begging for raisins.  I don't know what the future will hold for
my Pepper, but what time he has - we will make the most of - and this
raisin-aholic did get a rasin on his second post-op day!
 
I write about him for a couple of reasons.  First-always be alert for
possible blockage and rapid support needed.  This was not your typical
blockage, however.  And beleive it or not, in all the years I have owned
ferrets - this was my first ferret with a blockage.  Miracle not had one
before since my guys stay out so much and get into so much.  The other
reason is that Pepper certainly did not show any of the symptoms you would
expect to find in a ferret with such advanced adrenal disease.  As mentioned
earlier - only noted his interest in jills for a few weeks.  Looking at him,
the last thing that would occur is that he was "adrenal".  Yet he had one of
the worst possible that you could find with adrenal disease.  Subtle signs
should not be overlooked, and if you have a ferret that shows no signs other
than an unusual interest in a jill -- best to get them in to the vet.
 
Next emergency case one week later and will continue in following post -
 
cheers, Meg
[Posted in FML issue 1847]