>>I've got my first Adrenal ferret scheduled for surgery on Friday.  Wow!
>
>I've got my ferret scheduled for next Wednesday.  I am quite scared about
>it but I am comfortable with my vet.  Since yours is before mine, could
>you let me know how it went and the total cost?  My regular vet is going
>to charge $350 if left, $550 if right.  This surgery is going to cost me
>a minimum of $287 and he is going to remove all of the left and a portion
>of the right.  I will ask about a biopsy...that sounds like a good idea!
>I imagine biopsies will be an additional charge.  I called the ferret's
>old vet just out of curiosity, and he quoted $225 for the surgery, but
>he's had less experience and never removed a right tumor.
>
>>I recommend you read the Adrenal FAQ, which will list all the possible
>>risks.  For example, studies show a 10-12% rate of post-operative
>>mortality, presumably because ferrets can't compensate for the loss of
>>hormones.  It also lists chances of left being affected (65%? something
>>like that) or right (26%?) or both (about 10%).
>
>These facts are interesting...thanks for the links!  Keep me updated on
>your little fuzzy!
>
>>It is here:
>> http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/adrenal.html
>> (I printed it to discuss with my vet.)
>>
>>This is a constantly updated survey which will give you an idea how
>>often the surgery fails and things like that:
>>
>> http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC/vote.htm
 
Bad news about Kerby.  The vet called me mid-procedure to say that
she did not find what we had expected.  His Adrenal glands looked
normal (granted, that may be deceiving), but his kidney was "very
strange--enlarged and seepy."  His spleen was also enlarged.  Although
the vet wanted to take a biopsy of the kidney, it looked so abnormal she
was afraid he might bleed to death.  She closed him up without removing
anything, and is going to do a CBC and test kidney function (I realize
bloodwork is recommended pre-surgery, but it was not done).  She is also
going to test for ADV.
 
Although he was kept separate, he was not quaranteened against something
like this.  Naturally, I'm terrified that I might have just royally f*'d
up and exposed my other 15 to Aleutians.
 
Kara
 
Please don't tell me what I should have done.  I know I screwed up, and
I'm scared to death to find out just how badly.
 
[Posted in FML issue 3870]