http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=491 >have a 4 1/2 year old neutered male, Scooter. His spleen is extremely >enlarged. My vet scheduled him for having his spleen removed Tuesday, >July 30. The bloodwork had both his red and white blood cells being low. >I know this is very serious, and I'm very worried about my little guy. >My vet feels that he can live a normal life with out it. I wonder if >there are any problems after removal with vaccine reactions. What can >be done post-op to keep him comfortable? Dear Y: This is not a complicated operation and side effects are few. You very well may see him improve markedly after the removal of a very large spleen. There are no problems with vaccination down the road, and outside of the possibility of a little postoperative pain medication (which isn't always necessary), he should not experience undue post-surgical pain. In fact, this is an operation that most people say their ferrets really bounce back quickly from, as they generally feel better quickly. Imaging having a 40 pound spleen inside you! With kindest regards, Bruce Williams, DVM [Posted in FML issue 3855]