Hi.  I've been reading the FML for a while now & now I need some advice.
 
My first ferret, Pooper, is being treated for presumptive cancer (when we
looked at the X-ray, there was a mass, but since it was behind the liver,
we can't tell if it's cancer or not without a biopsy).  Needless to say,
I'm pretty upset.
 
Here's the skinny....  I took my baby in because he was acting in a way
that an ALTERED ferret should not.  I'd read that sometimes tumors
manifest themselves that way.  Well, the doctor called me 3 days later to
tell me the results of his blood test - which are as follows:
 
          urea nitrogen (kidney) - 65 (norm 8 - 37)
          creatinine (kidney) - 2.0 (norm .2 - .8)
          total protein - 9.5 (norm 4.4 - 7.3)
          ALT (SGPT) (liver) - 265 (norm 13 -176)
          AST (SGOT) (liver) - 115 (norm 23 - 99)
          Calcium - 14.0 (norm 7.5 - 10.1)
          Phosphorous - 10.5 (norm 3.7 - 7.4)
          uric acid - 3.0 (norm 1.4 - 3.3)
 
          Hematocrit - 50.0 (norm 38.0 - 54.0)
          WBC - 8.5 (norm 2.8 - 8.0)
 
          POLYS  7565    89%
          BANDS  0
          LYMPHS 765     9%
          MONOS  170     2%
          EOS    0
          BASOS  0
 
          PLATELET EST   ADEQUATE
 
She prescribed the following medication
          Enroflaxin 11.3mg/ml -- Apple
          Lasix Liquid ml oral
          Prednisone Syrup 15mg/5ml
 
(Oh!!  She also suggested he start on K/D Prescription Diet - which he
doesn't seem to thrilled with.)
 
She told me that the blood tests could not determine that Pooper has
cancer - not without a biopsy - but that the above blood screen seems to
indicate cancer.
 
Could someone (perhaps Dr.  Williams) please tell me what you think of
the diagnosis & give me advice on what to do differently?  I'd really
appreciate any comments from anyone.
 
Meantime, I'm going to keep taking care of Pooper & pray that he's not in
any pain (he doesn't seem to be - he's just pretty lethargic).
 
Thanks
 
-----------------------------
Paul J. Belusko
[log in to unmask]
Computer Sciences Corporation
Arlington, VA
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[Posted in FML issue 1176]