To Meg Carpenter >Can't remember who commented on tail amputation due to cancer - but comment >of perhaps some interest. Several years ago, I found a lump on the end the >tail on an older MF neutered hob. The end of the tail was amputated and path >report was ----- primordial tissue tumor, indicative of prehensile tail. >Previously seen in 13 other ferrets. Will try to remember to get the path >report and post it out. Meg - I know I didn't do the path on that one. What we are actually talking about here is a chordoma, the most common tumor of the musculoskeletal system of the ferret. The neoplasms arise at the end of the tail from notochord - this is the primitive tissue which the spine develops from. We all carry a little bit of it with us for the remainder of our lives. (Humans develop this tumor, also). However, notochord has absolutely nothing to do with a prehensile tail. I'd love to get a copy of that path report though!!! I think I'll put a chordoma case report up on my Web site next week. Stay tuned!!! Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP Dept. of Veterinary Pathology AccuPath Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [log in to unmask] OR Washington, D.C. 20306-6000 [log in to unmask] (202) 782-2600 [Posted in FML issue 1262]