Unknown Neuroendocrine Cancer in my Ferret - need advice

[chris]

Hi all,

I recently found out that one of my ferrets, Feenie (3.5y), has an unknown type of neuroendocrine cancer. I'm looking  for any advice on how to proceed.

I took her to the vet because she would vomit occasionally with no clear reason why. After an ultrasound was conducted, they found a mass in her stomach. They later took a fine needle aspiration sample and they concluded it was some type of neuroendocrine cancer. My vet has never seen this type of cancer in a  ferret before (she says it occurs more commonly in bearded dragons) and the sample could not conclude what type of cancer it is. Basically they are not sure how she will react at all with this cancer. She's always been more of a sleepy ferret (potentially due to the cancer?) but otherwise she is in good spirits besides the occasional vomiting. 

From my understanding I have 2 options. 


1. surgery to remove the mass in her stomach. This is iffy because they said even after they open her up, there is a chance that they can't remove it depending on how it is attached. They also advised that even if it is removed, there is a chance the cancer had spread regardless. They really don't know how this cancer will affect her.

2. We go a palliative route. They advised they would most likely look into giving her steroids. They also advised they potentially would go a chemo route, however there would be more testing that needs to be done. It sounded like my doctor would most likely go the steroid route. 

I was just hoping to get some advice from other ferret owners regarding this. I don't know if I want her to go through surgery with all the risks involved with it, but I also want to do what is best for her. Basically there is so many unknowns regarding this, I'm not sure what route to take.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated  

[silentdook]

Oof, that's so tough, I'm sorry. All I can say I do know about stomach cancer in humans is that once the air gets to it from surgery, it spreads like wildfire. At 3.5 yrs, she's getting older fast. If it were my ferret, I'd go palliative with steroids, in hopes of shrinking the tumor. I'll readily admit, I'm far more of a Quality of Life over Length of Lifespan, and I don't believe chemo is worth the short amount of extended life it gives vs the loss of Life Quality. Not everyone agrees.
It's going to be your decision, just don't second guess yourself whichever way you go. You will know if it's not turning out well, and it's never an easy decision when it's time to just let them go.

[unclejoe]

Hi. Sorry to read that. I agree with silentdook. I haven't had much luck with ferrets and surgery. I have had a ferret or 2 live more than 2 years on prednisolone for insulinoma. Prednisolone is relatively cheap and without a specific diagnosis, you could throw a lot of money away for no results.
As for removal of tumors: We had a male with a cancerous growth on the top of his head. We had it removed, and within a month poor Boodles had new tumors all over, nearly a dozen, and in 3 months he was gone. Cancer sucks. I hope that you have some good times left with Feenie

[chris]

Thanks so much for your advice silentdook and unclejoe. That's kind of where my mind is leaning too as well. I'd rather provide her with good quality of life, than a potential uncomfortable long one. Surgery with no guarantees of success, and the potential complications of it make me nervous. She seems pretty great now, and I think I'll most likely do the palliative route. I'm still going to think on this slightly more, but I don't want to take too long to decide either. Thanks so much.

[silentdook]

Dec 6, 2020 19:14:15 GMT -5 chris said:

Thanks so much for your advice silentdook and unclejoe . That's kind of where my mind is leaning too as well. I'd rather provide her with good quality of life, than a potential uncomfortable long one. Surgery with no guarantees of success, and the potential complications of it make me nervous. She seems pretty great now, and I think I'll most likely do the palliative route. I'm still going to think on this slightly more, but I don't want to take too long to decide either. Thanks so much.

You're very welcome. Our best to you and her.