Ferret diagnosed with lymphoma

Question

My 7 1/2 year old ferret was just diagnosed with Lymphoma today. :'(

She's too old for chemotherapy and has already been through adrenal disease and insulinoma. The vet said the best we can do now is try to make her as comfortable as possible. Anyone else dealt with this before? Any tips on how to make her the most comfortable that she can possibly be? I do the standard like keep the cage clean and keep her beds padded and warm but anything else?

Answer 1

I'm so sorry about your ferret. Though i own five ferrets and have rescued six I have never had to deal with this, yet. Knock on wood.

From what I understand it is sad and usually there is not much to be done for it.

It sounds like your doing everything you can. Just love him as best you can every day.

Answer 2

You are right that at her age chemo would be too stressful, even the non-IV Tufts Protocol created by Dr. Joerg Mayer BUT unless your ferret has heart disease or GI ulcers***** it will still be possible to give Prednisolone (a prescription med)*****.  

Prednisolone is a corticosteroid which slows lymphoma and also decreases discomfort, so for those with lymphoma, especially elderly ferrets it is a wonderful drug despite being very inexpensive.

You WILL need to give it with food to protect the stomach, and if there is special concern on that score then the liquid prep of Carafate (also an affordable prescription med) but give it separate from food and other meds.

Depending on where the lymphoma is located it is also possible that a pain control med such as Torb may be useful.  We had one a year older than your little one whose Lymphoma was in her spinal cord and for her the Torb was a wonder.  It controlled her pain so well that she would perk up when it was in her.

You can learn more about these things in some of the links in my signature lines.

It's impossible to predict how long an elderly ferret with lymphoma has.  With Prednisolone we've usually had them go from 6 months to 14 months.  

I guess we've probably had at least 3 or 4 ferrets with lymphoma who did very well with Prednisolone during ages over 7 years, and have had some 7 and over with insulinoma who also did well with Prednisolone (with the exception of one whose simultaneous heart condition had trouble with that med)

My husband and i have over 20 years of experience dealing with lymphoma in ferrets.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferre...

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/

http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html

http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/

http://www.ferretcongress.org/

http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml

http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferr...

Answer 3

Your doing your best that you can.

Play with her, give her the treats she is not suppose to eat.

Maybe some new toys could help with the depression she might be feeling.

There is not much more you can do. God!!! It just SUCKS!!!

I just lost my cat thanks to the good folks over at IAMS. There was nothing we could do but make her comfortable too. I played with her when she liked, brushed her, bathed and bought her the most comfy bed I could. It was the time I spent with her that made her feel better. It is what made her last a year when all the other pets were gone sooner.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

Aww! Im so sorry.  Thats terrible.  Just give her lots of kisses and your love.

Answer 5

I am so sorry. My cat was HIV positive, and it's so shocking..

I have handled ferrets before, and what you are doing is what I would recommend. I would maybe move anything away from her cage that would stress her out. I think it would be a great idea to make sure she has plenty of water, food, etc.

Answer 6

Remove any stress and just give her the love and affection that you always have. Make sure she gets plenty of affection, food and water (which it sounds like your doing already) and she will be a happy pet.