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Post by trippyferret on Apr 22, 2011 17:10:53 GMT -5
I took Salem in to the vet a couple weeks ago for a bunch of various symptoms, thinking it was either adrenal or lymphoma. Unfortunately, that vet wasn't as ferret-savvy as I'd like. He's good with dogs and cats, but ferrets... oh, no. So I went to the exotics vet about 30 mins away today to get a second opinion. Loved the vet; she seemed to know ferrets really well, and they see hundreds of ferrets all the time! Everyone loved on Salem and kept telling me how sweet she was. So she felt around and quickly found an enlarged spleen, and swollen lymph nodes. We had an X-ray done and you can see that her spleen is quite large, and not the normal smoothness you'd see with a spleen. I opted out of the biopsy because she is so old(7) and it just seems too much of a risk to put her under. But we are quite positive it is lymphoma. Sad I got a script for pred, and she'll be starting that tonight. We'll be having a repeat visit in three weeks.
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Post by Heather on Apr 22, 2011 17:20:55 GMT -5
I'm so sorry but it's not over. You can still get considerable time if its in it for your little one. I got another whole year after Aremis got diagnosed with lymphomas. We had some touch and go times but we lived day to day, some better than others but he enjoyed his life to the end. I will light a healing candle for your little one and hope that the pred buys you the time you both need. ciao
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 22, 2011 17:23:43 GMT -5
So sorry. Older ferrets with lymphoma can live a lot longer with it than the younger ones. It's more of a slow decline. Are all lymph nodes enlarged or just one? Any other symptoms? Any diarrhea?
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Post by trippyferret on Apr 22, 2011 18:30:22 GMT -5
Thank you all. I was expecting something to come up, what with her age, but it still sucks. It was just last year I had to deal with insulinoma in my Daemeon, and it was awful with him wasting away. But he did manage almost a year after diagnosis before I put him to sleep. So this all feels like deja vu, having to give pred every day at certain times, having to make sure she eats... it's like Daemeon all over again, just a different illness. I would be happy if she makes it another year, she would be 8 then, and that is a good long life for a ferret. We found the swelling in her armpit area. She's also had IBD symptoms(diarreah, bloating, indigestion noises in her tummy), and she's had very little appetite, been having to spoon feed her most of her meals. She'll only take a couple licks of salmon oil now and then turns away, which was her favorite treat.
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Post by Heather on Apr 22, 2011 20:18:28 GMT -5
I'm so sorry. I does sound awfully familiar, but it seems to me almost all the fuzzes go like this in the end. If it wasn't for us feeding them, coddling them, giving them their pred, melatonin and antibiotics or whatever we would be loosing them a lot younger. These diagnosis are never easy. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2011 20:29:43 GMT -5
I'm so sorry. We went through this with Trixie. It's a hard road but she will tell you when she's had enough. Till then enjoy the time you have with her, and give her extra hugs as every moment she will love forever.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2011 20:35:35 GMT -5
I am so sorry to hear ;( I couldn't imagine how hard it is to deal witha. Sick fuzz. All we can do is love them and care for them Until they are ready to go. Give her a hug for me
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Post by Sherry on Apr 22, 2011 21:15:18 GMT -5
I'm so sorry Morgan Hugs to Miss Salem for me.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2011 23:00:18 GMT -5
A prayer & a kiss for Salem from me
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2011 5:31:55 GMT -5
Keeping you in thought. I am so sorry - I really hope that the prednisone does your Salem some good so you can have her a lot longer. I hope you don't mind a question, when you said you got her x-rayed - I was just wondering what fuzzy x-rays normally amount to price-wise, or if you can have her insured for things like this? My Teddy's a mysterious origin fuzz so I have no idea what I will end up with health problem wise someday. Thinking about doing the VPI thing soon, besides the emergency fund we already have.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2011 8:09:10 GMT -5
I am so sorry! At least you will be able to spend more time with her, and when she is ready to go she will be with Daemon.
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Post by trippyferret on Apr 23, 2011 9:08:25 GMT -5
No, I don't mind, it was $95 for 2 different views, one of her side and one from the front. The whole visit ended up costing $150. They were talking about me taking her to UGA for chemo but it could cost around $2 grand, and honestly I don't think it would be worth it. Thank you everyone for your good thoughts, you are all so kind. <3 Bibliophiliac, when you mentioned her going to be with Daemeon, it really struck home because those two had been best friends. They were my original two. She was pretty sad when he died and would sleep in the easter grass dig box, like he always did. I guess, in words, I will be happy that those two will be reunited. That does bring some comfort when she does decide to go.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 23, 2011 9:55:34 GMT -5
That's pretty good for x-rays
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Post by trippyferret on Apr 23, 2011 20:47:21 GMT -5
So I was just giving her a dose of pred for the night and while I was giving it she projectile pooped diarrhea all over my pants. I feel so awful. She hates it so bad, she was scratching at her face and pooping all over me. I tried to give her salmon oil after she took it to get rid of the awful taste, and she snubbed it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2011 21:19:11 GMT -5
I'm so sorry to hear that Salem is not well.... Special prayers for her and you....
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