I have a 5 year old, male, cinnamon sable ferret, that has never had any
problems (with the exception of a small cold when he was 2.)  Tuesday
evening last week I went to give him his monthly bath and I flipped him
over in a "baby cradle" kind of way.  He had a marble size, blood filled
abscess right on his rectum and I freaked!  I play with my ferts everyday
and I hadn't noticed this on him the day before.  I paged my vet (in
hysterics of course) and I was told to watch him overnight and if he was
still eating, pooping, drinking, then to wait and bring him in in the
morning.  Wednesday, the vet said it was a tumor, most likely malignant
from what she could tell.  TUMOR?  AHHHHHHHHH!  He has been acting fine,
eating and drinking well, what do you mean TUMOR?  The tumor was the size
of a marble Tuesday night and then the size of a golfball in less than 24
hours!
 
She did the bloodwork and x-rays...cancer had not moved into his lungs from
what she could tell.  The bloodwork revealed a secondary infection so he
was placed on antibiotics.
 
This afternoon, Max the wonder ferret, just got out of surgery.  The vet
wasn't able to get all of the tumor since it ruptured? and was tightly
adhered to the colon.  The tumor was sent off to be identified...another
3-5 days of waiting.
 
I still don't know what the tumor is or how it seemed to show up so
quickly!  Since I found the tumor, I have been giving him a little laxative
every day ( I usually give it to him 3 times a week) to help with his
<ahem> duties.  Since the tumor grew so quickly, I can't help but think
that it is going to become larger again since the vet was not able to
remove the whole thing (I'm not knocking the vet here, I'm sure she did
what was best for Max.) I'll be skipping the next car payment to pay for
this, I'm sure...but he deserves a chance.
 
The tumor may have been growing inside and then surfaced to where I could
see it, I don't know.  How did I miss this or how did it grow so quickly?
The vet is keeping him overnight after the surgery to keep an eye on him.
Max isn't eating on his own yet, so she's going to have to force him.
 
Max is my first ferret....first pet I chose and named on my own... my
symbol of 'conquering' college, and independence from my parents.  I want
to make him as comfortable as I can when he gets home.  Any suggestions for
food or room rearrangements or anything would be greatly appreciated....If
you have ever experienced anything like this before, please respond.  I
want to know what I can expect.
 
Please reply to [log in to unmask]
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Liz....the hysterical one
Max....Huh?  Wha?  Why is the room spinning?
Grace...Why is he getting all the attention?  Don't make
me poop in the wrong corner to get more attention!
Oscar...my sweetie at the Rainbow Bridge
[Posted in FML issue 2697]