Lymphoma, tell me more.

[Deleted]

So... the vet has brought up the possibility of lymphoma. She doesn't have the equipment to do the testing at her office for for ferret tests, so she will have to send a biopsy out after the blood and work fecal sample come back depending on those results. For know We are treating Gerri as if it is an infection or IBS while we wait for test results.

So here I am trying to brace myself just in case, and I see little about it on the forum.

[Heather]

Here's an article on it. It's rather simplified version but it's not a bad article
www.2ndchance.info/lymphomaferret.htm this one is an updated version of the above article but is in a pdf format www.2ndchance.info/lymphomaferret-Tufts.pdf
Another pdf on lymphosarcoma www.all-about-ferrets.com/support-files/lymphomaferrets.pdf
I've lost a number of ferrets to this horrible disease. Each had different issues, with different recoveries, successes and failures. There is no real cure but sometimes with the steroids you can not only improve their quality of life, you can also extend their life. When your little one is diagnosed with this, you view as there is no tomorrow, only today and for every today, it's truly a gift of life. I'm sorry that your little one might have this diagnosis

ciao

[Sherry]

holisticferret60.proboards.com/board/38/lymphoma

[Deleted]

I do hope the vet is wrong and Gerri has something simple to treat.
Here is an article written by a ferret vet:
www.wbeph.com/mammals/ferret/lymphoma-in-ferrets-a-phoenix-ferret-vets-perspective/

Sometimes the easiest way to search on the forum is to go to your browser search bar and then
type in Holistic Ferret Forum Lymphoma (as an example). This will bring up all the articles including older articles from the early days of the forum.

It's a very good idea to get as knowledgeable as possible. You will be Gerri's best health advocate.
I lost my Ponce to Lymphoma. He was almost seven and Chemo/surgery was not really an option for him, at his age. Add to that, we didn't have access to a ferret specialist in our very rural area.

I will be sending all my best wishes to you and Gerri.

[unclejoe]

I'm sorry You may be going down that road...  I've only had one case that I know of. Larry was at least 3 when I got him and already had a big firm belly, which is why he went to a vet.  Once diagnosed he lived another 13 months on prednisone. It's likely he had it for some time, untreated, before he came to me.  So, as Heather said, it's not a good diagnosis, in fact it hasn't officially been diagnosed ,  but it's also not the end of life yet.  You have time to enjoy with Gerri.  Are you giving pred for IBS?  It is one of the drugs used to control inflammation with IBD/IBS and also to fight lymphoma, so you may already be treating the lymphoma.  

Larry's lymphoma eventually got to his liver and took him.  Up till then, he had 2 blood panels done and the only out of range value was slightly elevated creatinine.  But he had a slight but noticeable green hue to his pee.  That spelled billirubins in his urine which meant liver and kidney problems.  I have no idea where the cancer started or how long it took to get to the liver.

Wishing you and Gerri the best and we're here for ya.

[Deleted]

He has been extreamly bad today. I though he was close to death this morning. He perked up some, but very little. He has given me a few kisses and his breath reeks like chemicals.

The Vet gave him a shot and h is on baytril right now.

Thank you every one for the information. It is hard for me to think straight right now. It just doesn't make sense to me, he is eating and drinking quite a lot,  so how can he be losing so much weight. He is down from 3lbs to 1.8 I would say he lost the bulk of it since friday.  The vet said it was clearly muscle loss and not body fat.

[unclejoe]

What are his poops like again? It sounds like Proliferative colitis, losing that much muscle mass so quiclky.

www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=11+2062&aid=582

[Deleted]

Wow, that sounds exactly like it. His poops have had some green, but not like the poops I have seen for bacterial overgrowth. It is not frothy but more tarry and it is very runny and he is getting it all over himself. If this is the problem, I noticed it said stress. Could my emotional state affect it. Christmas time is rough for me and I am sure he picked up on it. He was so so cuddly during it all and would shower me with kisses when ever I needed them. I hope this wasn't my fault.

I am crossing my fingers that it is this over lymphoma. I have to take a stool sample to the vet later today.

[Deleted]

The stress is probably from him being stressed and sick. It's not your fault and don't let yourself worry about that.

Let us know what the vet says. We'll be here for you.

One last question, has he had any exposure to outside ferrets? Like a baby ferret from a petstore?
There is a bug they can pick up. It's called ECE or green slime disease.
It's a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[unclejoe]

If you think it may be one of those diseases, he should be on antibiotics. It won't help lymphoma, but time is critical if it is one of the diseases mentioned in the article, and won't hurt anyway, especially if it's causing a secondary infection.

"The common stresses associated with colitis and ulcers are environmental, most often poor diet or inadequate feeding. Ferrets that accidentally are fasted for a day or more are most susceptible. " Unless you're not feeding him, it's not your fault.

The poop will probably be screened for coccidia, a protozoa, which requires a different antibiotic than
bacteria. www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2102&aid=727

[Deleted]

How is he eating? Would the Carnivore Care help at all? I have my Charlie on it and he loves it. Charlie's has insu, adrenal and lymphoma. He's a mess but he's hanging in and the CC has worked wonders for him so far.

[Deleted]

@jersygirl He is eating extremely well. That is what throws me off and confuses me. He is eating like a horse and losing weight. Last night he ate almost 2 whole frog legs and egg yolk with some probiotics and fish oil. Today he eaten nearly a whole quail. His name means ravenous in Norse and he fits it well.

unclejoe He got a steroid shot at the vet and is on and antibiotic called baytril.

@poncesmom yes he has. We talk him out on his leash and we met someone with another ferret, if it came from there, Gilly was exposed as well and she is healthier than ever.

[Deleted]

I am just throwing in ideas, but if he's eating normally but losing weight, can't it also be internal parasites?

[Deleted]

@absinthefairy that is a good question.

He is a lot more perky and "ferrety" tonight.

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 20:47:36 GMT -5 nixxie said:

@jersygirl He is eating extremely well. That is what throws me off and confuses me. He is eating like a horse and losing weight. Last night he ate almost 2 whole frog legs and egg yolk with some probiotics and fish oil. Today he eaten nearly a whole quail. His name means ravenous in Norse and he fits it well.

unclejoe He got a steroid shot at the vet and is on and antibiotic called baytril.

@poncesmom yes he has. We talk him out on his leash and we met someone with another ferret, if it came from there, Gilly was exposed as well and she is healthier than ever.

I went back and reread Geri's history. He was very skinny when your husband brought him home. If he had been a normal weight, I would put the weight loss down to his eating raw. They lose the kibble fat and become lean.

You're still waiting for the vet results to come back and see if he may have Lymphoma.

I was thinking maybe ECE. When Mika came home, Roamy was kept away from her, but he got ECE. Juliet who played and slept with her, didn't. If it's ECE, then the Baytril should clear that up.

Intestinal parasites in ferrets are uncommon, but Coccidia is not. Take a look at this thread:
www.petmd.com/ferret/conditions/digestive/c_ft_coccidiosis

I honestly don't know, but I'd trust my ferrent instincts and keep looking for the answer. Maybe another vet and a second opinion.