>My little runt of a ferret was dragging his left rear leg last night.
>By the time we arrived at the vets (very ferret knowledgeable) office
>this morning, he couldn't use either rear leg nor did he react to
>pinching his legs or toes.
>
>X-rays showed a "moth eaten" bone loss appearance on his spine at about
>his hip level and the vertabre just above.
>
>He was given an antibiotic injection and Orbax to continue for several
>weeks at home.  I'm praying it's a bone infection and not osteosarcoma.
>My vet said if it's an infection, we should see an improvement in a few
>days.
>
>In the meantime, I'm so afraid for Stubby.  I realize a prognoses for
>osteosarcoma is not good but would like to know what to expect and if
>there's any treatment you recommend if it is osteosarcoma.  I just
>can't lose this special little guy.
 
Dear X: The symptoms and radiographic signs that you describe,
unfortunately, are much more likely to be a bone tumor rather than an
infection.  While osteosarcoma is a possibility, a much more likely
possibility is a chordoma.  Not all chordomas arise at the tip of the
tail - they can pop up anywhere on the spinal column.  The bad news is
that these are extremely aggressive lesions which over time will invade
and destroy the vertebra.  With either a chordoma or an osteosarcoma in
this area with this radiographic presentation, surgical excision is at
this point only a stopgap measure and full excision is not possible.
 
Clinical signs will probably continue to increase and movement will
continue to degrade.  Most animals are euthanized prior to pathologic
fracture of the vertebra, but it is always a possibility.
 
While waiting for several weeks to see if it is osteomyelitis is one way
to go, a biopsy now would answer all of your questions.  If it is truly
an infection, it could also be used for a culture and sensitivity, or at
least you would know that long-term high-dose antibiotics are required.
 
If you decide to do a biopsy, I would be happy to evaluate it for you.
If this is acceptable, I would also appreciate the ability to look at the
radiograph, or at least a good digital representation of it.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3477]