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>My vet suggests that I treat with pred rather than partial removal of
>the pancreas, because the surgery would be invasive and there's no way
>to know if it will do any good, as the cancer may have spread throughout
>the pancreas.  I don't want to subject him to a traumatic surgery if it
>will not improve his quality of life, on the other hand...if it will
>help, I'll do whatever is needed.
>
>According to my vet, if I just treat with pred, the lifespan from
>diagnosis is maybe a year, probably less and if we do the pancrectomy,
>it's about the same....
 
That is incorrect.  The lifespan with a partial pancreatectomy is
significantly greater than with nodulectomy or certainly with medication
alone.  I have had ferrets doing well two or three years post-op.  My
recommendation would be to find a vet who is comfortable with doing the
partial pancreatectomy and go for it.
 
Dr. Ruth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find it.  Fix it.  And fly again.
[Posted in FML issue 4349]