To Anon concerning mast cell tumors: >Our Kira just had a "Mast Cell Tumor" removed from the corner of her mouth. >The vet said it was the size of a large pea and tends to recur. His experience >was mostly with cats though.. Anyone have any thoughts on this tumor in >ferrets??? The second most common skin tumor in the ferret is the mast cell tumor. Mast cells are a population of cells in the skin which are closely associated with blood cells. Normally, they mediate allergic reactions, liberating certain chemicals which cause vascular dilation, causing the redness associated with hives and other allergic conditions. Mast cell tumors, although they are associated with a fairly high rate of malignancy in the dog and cat, are generally benign in the ferret. There are no reports of malignant mast cell tumors in the ferret medical literature. Mast cell tumors usually appear as flat, often hairless, small plaques on the ferret's body. They are also freely movable and do not involve underlying structures. They may be somewhat crusty, as ferrets will often chew or scratch at these sites, as some of these tumors itch. In rare cases, animals may have multiple mast cell tumors at once. Excision of these tumors is considered curative. (Sorry for the stilted language. This is an excerpt from a short article on skin tumors I did for the FML a few months ago. But don't worry, Kira should be just fine.) Bruce Williams, DVM Department of Veterinary Pathology [log in to unmask] Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (202) 576-2453/2454 Washington, D.C. 20306-6000 [Posted in FML issue 0816]