Is the mast cell in a difficult location, such as internal, or where part of a foot would be removed? Is the dental work complicated by expected extractions or capping of difficult teeth? One possibility if your vet is not a ferret vet, is that the vet is assuming that the mast cell tumor is likely to be malignancy and require a very major removal, or the hospital data base on mast cell removal costs is based on dogs and needs to be updated. In such a situation -- where the vet does not know that mast cell tumors in ferrets are almost invariably benign -- pass this along: http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Mast/mastcell.html Have you tried Foamy Fries for tooth cleaning? We have had excellent luck with those. In fact, except for one cracked tooth and one kit who did not get dental care in time, I don't think we have had to have any have dental care since Cheweasels (also licensed for sale as Marshalls Chews) was first developed by some FML members, and then Foamy Fries came out, and that includes two with severe IBD (which is often mentioned to be associated with an increased rate of certain problems including oral ones), though in their cases they finally could not have that product so they had cheesecloth wrapped around my pinky and poultry and fish flavored enzymatic toothpastes. Re: training: This may help you http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083/probintro.html With an albino as with some other markings also modify your actions for visual limitations. Multiple recent studies show that albino ferrets have reductions in peripheral vision, visual acuity, and motion vision, if memory serves. You can find these in Pubmed or by going to Ferret Genetics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Genetics/ Also, test the hearing. There are some sites and past post which help with ferrets who have sensory deprivations; usually the people getting guidance to know how to modify their own actions is what is most needed. -- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my private posts) Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love them: Ferret Health List http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth FHL Archives http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ AFIP Ferret Pathology http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html Miamiferrets http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ International Ferret Congress Critical References http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 5199]