>My question here (for any DVMs/surgeons) is does anyone have experience
>with thymomas?  More specifically thymomas in older ferrets, and what
>kind of risk factor is Sherlock's age?  Are there any other options
>besides surgery?  I've tried to research this as much as possible but
>have found little on the subject that's helpful.
 
Unfortunately, there's very little information on thymomas.   I've
seen one, and I think only one report has ever been published (with
only two cases reported.)
 
These tumors do not respond well to non-surgical interventions, such as
chemo or radiation.  They are generally slow growing, so they respond
relatively well to surgery.
 
In a case of a 10 year old ferret, you would have to look at the overall
health of the animal, as well as the possibility for a significant
increase in life-span in the case of a successful surgery (which is
probably a long-shot at best.)
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3811]