>From: Sue Stout
>Dr. Williams,
>My ferret Jonesy is going to have surgery this Friday (2/9/01) for
>insulinoma and adrenal.  Upon your advise to a post of mine on the FML,
>I found a new vet.  My old vet had not wanted to do surgery.  Jonesy is 5
>1/2 years old.  He has not had a distemper shot or rabies shot since a
>reaction where I did CPR on him in July 1999.  I had thought I might ask
>my vet to give him his distemper shot after surgery in case of any
>reaction.  Is this a bad idea?
>
>I am very concerned about him undergoing this surgery, and wonder what to
>expect immediately following the surgery.  I have heard that it is really
>important to keep them warm during recovery..ie: placing the ferret in a
>warmer or on a heating pad.  Is this true?  Also, should I expect him to
>come home with pain medication?  Should I keep him segregated from the
>other 4 cage mates when he comes home?  Is there anything I should make
>sure that my new vet knows or does during or immediately following surgery?
>Should I push to be there with him during the recovery?
 
>I guess what I am saying is that I need reassurance that I am doing the
>correct thing for him.  This is a new vet for us, and seems very
>knowledgeable.  But, she wanted me to fast him for 12 hours until I
>pointed out that that was just to long for a ferret let alone an
>insulinomic one.
>
>Also, if my vet would need to, could she call you if she runs into any
>problems?
>
> Thank you so much for any information you can give me.
> You are a Godsend for the ferret community.
> Sue Stout
 
Dear Sue:
 
1) No vaccinations until after he is completely recovered from the surgery.
No sense taking any chances.
 
2) Yes, attention to body heat markedly improves the recovery.  Inattention
may lead to life-threatening hypothermia.  Your vets should keep close tabs
on him until his temperature is over 100degrees, and this may include a
heating pad during and after surgery (never put a ferret directly on the
pad, but on towels or in a box on top of the pad), using warmed fluids,
and monitoring very closely.
 
3) Pain medication is not usually given after surgery - it prolongs
anesthesia and can predispose to hypothermia - I generally recommend it
only in orthopedic cases in which significant post-op pain is expected.
Most ferrets are up and around the next day with little problem after
abdominal surgery.
 
4) I always segregate my post-ops for three to four days minimum - I keep
them in a sick cage - that way I can make sure what they are eating, that
they are pooping, and that no one gets too rough or steps on the incision.
 
5) Are you doing the right thing - absolutely.  While there are no
guarantees about the surgery, I can guarantee you that quality of life in
adrenal/insulinoma ferrets gets worse very quickly, and there is no hope
for significant improvement with medical treatment alone.  (Also, surgery
is an eventuality and the longer you put it off, the poorer a surgical
candidate your ferret becomes.)
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
 
P.S.  I'll be in the office most of the day Friday at 202-782-2392
[Posted in FML issue 3321]