Doctors:
Do you have any experience with the drug Neupogen/filgrastim (thank you Lynn
for the name) in increasing white counts in ferrets that may be experiencing
extremely decreased white counts due to chemo (or for other reasons)? Is the
effect (if good) long-lasting? Or would it need to be continually administered?
Our vet (with consultation from another) figured that it may increase the white
count but only for a couple of days at which point the other debilitating
problems associated with cancer would overpower any good the drug might
produce and at two hundred dollars per dosage, would not be worth it since
the life extension may only be a few days. What about transfusions to a ferret
who's blood was white cell depleted - any long lasting good? I understand blood
transfusions will only work in the interim while a ferret regains strength and
then their body needs to take over and in the case of cancer this "taking over"
is unlikely. True?
[Posted in FML issue 1131]