I need some advice about my three-year old ferret Pepe:
 
I posted a letter last week about my male ferret Pepe.  I had noticed that
he was being aggressive to my other ferrets (biting their ears and neck).
A lot of people wrote back and told me that it could be a sign of adrenal
disease.  I took Pepe in Friday and my vet told me that he could feel a
large tumor.  He ran blood tests and gave me a profile.  It indicated that
the following were in the low range: Alb., Alt., Ca, Phos., and TP.  I do
not know what all of the abbreviations mean.  Unforntately, my vet is not
equipped to do surgery.  He recommended that I have an ultrasound done on
Pepe.  What will this the ultrasound show?Will this spread throughout his
body???  I am so worried and scared.  I would like to know if anyone knows
a good vet in the Michigan area.  I live in Mt. Pleasant.  What is the rate
of a full recovery after the surgery???  Any information on the topic would
help.  Also, how much does the surgery usually run so that I am prepared.
After surgery, are there any complications and if done will the ferret have
a normal life expectancy?
 
Pepe also has not been as playful as usual.  He is urinating very
frequently and today I noticed that he has hair loss his tail.  Please give
me the name of some good vets in Michigan.  I love Pepe to death, he has
been with me for three years and I don't know what I would do without him.
I can not imagine waking up and not having him in my life.
 
Any advice would help and once again thank you to those of you who
wrote back and told me to go have blood tests done.  My email is
[log in to unmask]
 
Thank you.
Toni, Pepe, Sadi, and Little Bubba
[Posted in FML issue 2659]