This is in response to Alice who asked the other day if surgery done on a
6 year old ferret to remove a skin tumor was risky at that age.  You can
answer this yourself if you look at your ferret.  If they seem like they
are doing well aside from the condition you are having looked at, chances
are this ferret will do well.
 
Spaz was just over 6.5 years of age when he had his cutaneous
lymphosarcoma removed from his side.  He had a second surgery at 7 years
of age.  Aside from the cancer, he was a strong and healthy boy.  His food
consumption never waned and he handled both surgeries like a real trooper.
He is still with me today and doing very well.  I keep an eye out for any
new spots that may develop and if he gets one at age 8 and still acts the
way he does today, you better believe I will have him in for surgery
quicker than the wink of an eye.
 
In any case, it is extremely important to note anything out of the
ordinary with your ferret and its behaviour before you go into surgery.
Mention anything even if you think it is nothing.  Are they walking funny,
or holding their head differently?  Has the condition of the coat changed
from shiny to dull?  Has there been a change in eating, drinking, or are
they vomiting or experiencing diarrhea?  Has the ferret been more
withdrawn or more inclined to sleep as of late?  Has the colour in their
face changed?  Is the nose light or dark pink and how long does it stay
that way, or do they look jaundiced?  Have you felt anything unusual in
the ferret's body?  Anything and everything should be mentioned to your
vet and together you can figure out if any of these other signs will
directly affect surgery or not.
 
In my experience, I would say that the better condition your ferret is in
overall, the better off his/her chances in the long run as being a good
candidate for surgery, no matter what the age.  If your ferret is dealing
with multiple disorders then that may affect the outcome of the surgery.
But lastly, no one can predict how your ferret will do.  Even healthy
ferrets have not come out of surgery due to some unsuspected problems.
Some don't do well under anesthetic while most do.  Unfortunately there is
no way of knowing how your ferret will do until that moment comes.  This
is where faith comes in the most.  Have faith in your ferret, and have
faith in your vet.
 
Hope this helps,
Betty and Her Blur O'Fur
For the Love of Ferrets.... Missing Bear
[Posted in FML issue 3115]