Hello Everyone,
 
I wanted to clarify a couple of things on my recent post on adrenal disease.
I did not mean to upset Bob Church so, I was trying to offer a differing
view point.
 
As far as surgery being a cure, you have a tumor and/or tumors.  They are
successfully and completely removed.  To me, that indicates a cure.  The
surgery does not remove the causitive factors for the disease, whatever they
are.
 
Let me give an example of what I meant.  My mother had cervical cancer when
she was 37.  She had a hysterectomy.  After many years of follow up exam, no
signs of cancer.  She reaches the age of 59 and dies from lung cancer.
Would you say this is a recurrance of the same problem?  I wouldn't, but
perhaps it is just differing semantics.
 
I was not trying to discount any pain the animals feels.  I was trying to
point out that the animals HANDLE pain in a much different way than humans
do.  My reasons for thinking that are simple observation.  In my own
experience with animals, they seem to recover quicker and more easily from
surgical proceedures than do humans (especially you men, hehe).  Besides, if
the animal is otherwise healthy, any pain from surgery will be short term.
And since I know of ferrets living 3-4 years and still going after adrenal
surgery, I feel that any pain from surgery is offset by the gains.
 
Also, if you are dealing with a cancerous tumor, you don't know what the
cause is.  Some cancers are viral in nature and some are now believed to be
through a faulty genetic factor, that some individuals may be producing
faulty Mitochondrial DNA.  If this is the case, then you would have an
individual who is prone to cancer.  And since it runs in my family, in many
varying types, I have to give some credance to this theory.
 
I do understand that not all ferrets are good candidates for surgery.
 
I also understand that steroids is a rather general term, but many people do
not.  When they think of steroids they think of predisone.  This is
contra-indicated for supression of adrenal androgens.  Androgens is the
generic term for what we call hormones, it includes many types such as
estrodial and testosterone.  They are very complex.  I was just trying to
clarify what I assumed was an incomplete use of terminology, for folks who
haven't had such remarkable training in biology as Bob.
 
That is also why I mentioned the cost of surgeries, because it is very
important in the decision making process and I didn't want anyone to assume
that all surgeries would run as high as what was quoted.
 
And I sincerely hope that Bob C.  did not think I meant to imply that he was
trying to keep folks from surgery.  I wasn't.  The treatment decisions are
very personal and because of that, I feel that knowing all possible
viewpoints is helpful to folks trying to make a sometimes very agonizing
decision.  This always helps me when decided treatments, and even though I
have plenty of money for treatments, the cost vs.  ultimate good is ALWAYS a
factor.
 
I was trying to be as neutral as possible on this subject, giving my
opinions and even posting anon.  to avoid the apperance of personal
conflict.  This isn't what it is about, I happen to believe that Bob has a
lot to offer the ferret world.  But as with many things in life, I do not
happen to agree with him 100% of the time and I am willing to say that.
Many folks misunderstand my motives and do not take me at face value.  All I
can do is say what is true for me and then let them decide what is their own
truth.
 
And if anyone has anything to argue with me about this on or flame me, send
it to me personally or Noni.  I don't want a public argument.  I don't
personally think anything important, really, that either Bob or I have said
on this matter is in direct conflict.  Medicine is an art, not a science,
and should be treated as such.
 
And since I am tired of trying to even write differently, you all are
getting this with my name on it this time.  You have no idea how hard it is
for me to leave out all my idiomatic expressions.  Yikes!!
 
Maggie Mae, the Mid Missouri Maniac Mustelids, and the Frenzied Felines
[Posted in FML issue 2154]