Is the mast cell in a difficult location, such as internal, or where
part of a foot would be removed?  Is the dental work complicated by
expected extractions or capping of difficult teeth?
 
One possibility if your vet is not a ferret vet, is that the vet is
assuming that the mast cell tumor is likely to be malignancy and require
a very major removal, or the hospital data base on mast cell removal
costs is based on dogs and needs to be updated.  In such a situation --
where the vet does not know that mast cell tumors in ferrets are almost
invariably benign -- pass this along:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Mast/mastcell.html
 
Have you tried Foamy Fries for tooth cleaning?  We have had excellent
luck with those.  In fact, except for one cracked tooth and one kit who
did not get dental care in time, I don't think we have had to have any
have dental care since Cheweasels (also licensed for sale as Marshalls
Chews) was first developed by some FML members, and then Foamy Fries came
out, and that includes two with severe IBD (which is often mentioned to
be associated with an increased rate of certain problems including oral
ones), though in their cases they finally could not have that product so
they had cheesecloth wrapped around my pinky and poultry and fish
flavored enzymatic toothpastes.
 
Re: training:  This may help you
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083/probintro.html
 
With an albino as with some other markings also modify your actions for
visual limitations.  Multiple recent studies show that albino ferrets
have reductions in peripheral vision, visual acuity, and motion vision,
if memory serves.  You can find these in Pubmed or by going to Ferret
Genetics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Genetics/
 
Also, test the hearing.  There are some sites and past post which help
with ferrets who have sensory deprivations; usually the people getting
guidance to know how to modify their own actions is what is most needed.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5199]