Thanks also to Melissa for tips!
Oh, gosh, thanks for being so sweet, Dawn!
You are so right that ferrets are a constant learning experience. I
think it is at least as important when folks mention what they have
discovered that doesn't work or is just plain wrong as mentioning what
works (example a few months ago: we learned from a scare with Helix to
NOT immerse her in cool water during a large fever spike but to instead
use rubbing alcohol on her paws -- we got lucky during her terminal
illness that the immersion didn't throw her into shock). We all have a
wonderful place here to discuss all sorts of things and share what we
learn.
Think of the many ferrets who were saved from accidents due to past posts
on things like laundry, dishwashers, gas stoves, drier vent tubing, etc.
So many people have been so forthright about what could help others.
That is one reason this is such a constructive list! Another reason is
the sympathy and kindness shown others. And just think of the many
charities (sheleters, SOS, ADV charities, etc.) and other things which
help ferrets which were born at least partly due to the things found by
members of the FML. If someone were to try to list all of the good this
list has done the ferrets and the ferret community I don't think that the
documentation would ever be done. We're all very lucky that Chris Lewis
began it and then I guess about 5 years later which I think translates to
maybe about a dozen years ago (just guessing on figures) Bill Gruber took
over and improved it far more. We're all very fortunate. [Chris was
active in the list for 7 years. BIG]
We are waiting for Lingity's latest blood work and urine work done today
and she will be having an ultrasound. Her pancreas, liver, and kidneys
just aren't looking good. The inclination is toward thinking that she
likely has lymphoma, but she is not strong enough in her blood work to
risk pulling a node and the aspirates haven't been conclusive. She is
getting very bossy. She knows that I have a nasal spray med (Astilin)
that she hates the smell of and sometimes when she is brought into the
room for her Prednisolone compound she will pull over the opposite side
of the room, bump the container which I have that nose spray in then bump
my nose. The message seems to be, "If I have to have a yucko med then
you have to have a yucko med first". Yes, she gets her way.
Vickie, cedar is just plain dangerous. Pine is more of an individual
thing. It depends on sensitivity and allergies with pine. That means
that cedar just plain should not be used, and for some ferrets pine also
should not be. We've never had a problem with pine but I guess I know
three or four people who have run into such problems with their ferrets,
including one vet whose ferret had such an acute rapid problem with pine
that the ferret almost died. Here is a wonderful write-up which explains
some nuances of the two: http://www.trifl.org/cedar.shtml
Theresa, what blood test was done? Was it the TN Panel? I ask because
it's hard to know what is going on with your little one. If it wasn't
the TN Panel then perhaps it was a mistaken diagnosis of an adrenal
growth. Then again, if it was the TN Panel and was accurate then
something is going on in there. As you'll have noticed some researchers
think that perhaps when it is just hyperplasia present that Lupron might
shrink a growth (though no one is saying that it is curative or can be
curative), but that when it is something more serious like an adenoma or
carcinoma there is the chance of the growth not reducing or even
continuing to worsen even with Lupron. The only curative approach known
at this point is surgery. So, find out what blood test was done, because
if the call was based on observation alone you might want to do the TN
Panel. DO remember that at times a ferret who does have an adrenal
growth will gain fur during an Autumn or Spring shedding and fur growing
cycle but when that happens the adrenal growth is still present and still
can continue growing. Also used as a medical approach is melatonin, but
recall that Melatonin only lessens some symptoms and might help reduce
second onsets as might Lupron; both are under study so at this point it
is an interesting hypothesis rather than something proven or refined.
Melatonin is not a treatment for the growths themselves and not
considered a cure. We, too, have had ones on whom we had to wait an bit;
in that case we've tended to use Lupron for some but not for others --
letting it be the vet's call. Size alone is not always indicative of
whether something is wrong, so it can be hard at times to decide what to
remove. There is a LOT on this archives of the FML and of the FHL to
help you.
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
[Posted in FML issue 4335]
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