| Question about abdominal lumps - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| badlilkitten@hotmail.com |
Sunshine has developed some problems. I took all four of them to the
vet last Friday, the other three needed rabies vax, and I wanted
Sunshine examined because she's had some odd behavior lately.
She's developed a real interest in people's ears and hairlines. Now,
in Ipo, this is standard behavior, but in Sunshine, it's really odd.
She's also been licking the back of Ipo's neck so much that she's
getting bald spots (I don't think she does it to anyone but Ipo?).
So the vet examined her and discovered a lump in her abdomen when she
palpated her. We decided to give her the weekend to see if perhaps it
was something that would pass, and made an appointment for X-rays and
an ultrasound this morning.
Today, she still felt it so we did the x-rays. They have given us more
questions than answers. There is something showing up on her left
side. It is, according to the vet, just about too low to be a kidney
(not the right place), and it is also quite large to be a kidney, and
completely the wrong shape. Although it could still be a kidney, just
a really, REALLY messed up kidney. It's also, according to the vet, too
high up to be her spleen.
The ultrasound, predictably, was inconclusive because Sunshine's a
squirmer. It showed.. something. Same thing as the X-rays.
The doc said she could have a cystic kidney, but she could also have
some sort of growth that is just obscuring our view of the kidney. We
don't really know WHAT is going on, and without opening her up and
having a peek, we probably aren't going to.
The plan for now is for me to get a urine sample and take it in for
tests. I can also arrange to bring her in for a blood test, but that
will require that she undergo sedation, so I hope that a urine test
will be sufficient.
If none of that shows anything, it's wait and watch for us, the vet
doesn't want to do surgery unless Sunshine displays a need for it.
Right now she seems to be the picture of a healthy, happy ferret.
Eating and drinking good, using the bathroom good (although I think she
strains ever-so-slightly more than the others when she potties, but
always has), and playing like normal. The only sign that anything is
amiss is her weird new grooming fetish (she shows NO sign of adrenal,
BTW, which is what I first suspected because Ipo developed odd behavior
when she went adrenal. The vet originally suspected lymphoma for
reasons she didn't discuss with me).
I am wondering if any of this is ringing any bells for anyone. I would
really appreciate everyone's opinion on this. I just don't want to
find out later that whatever is wrong with her is something that I
could have done something about if I had known. What do you guys think
this could be?
B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
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| Jason and Holly Harper |
Ahh, but she is showing signs of adrenal. Excessive grooming is a sign.
And seeing a growth near a kidney sure sounds like a possibility of it being
adrenal. Whatever the situation we're wishing you and Sunshine the best.
Holly
<badlilkitten@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1102369454.987774.298150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Sunshine has developed some problems. I took all four of them to the
> vet last Friday, the other three needed rabies vax, and I wanted
> Sunshine examined because she's had some odd behavior lately.
>
> She's developed a real interest in people's ears and hairlines. Now,
> in Ipo, this is standard behavior, but in Sunshine, it's really odd.
> She's also been licking the back of Ipo's neck so much that she's
> getting bald spots (I don't think she does it to anyone but Ipo?).
>
> So the vet examined her and discovered a lump in her abdomen when she
> palpated her. We decided to give her the weekend to see if perhaps it
> was something that would pass, and made an appointment for X-rays and
> an ultrasound this morning.
>
> Today, she still felt it so we did the x-rays. They have given us more
> questions than answers. There is something showing up on her left
> side. It is, according to the vet, just about too low to be a kidney
> (not the right place), and it is also quite large to be a kidney, and
> completely the wrong shape. Although it could still be a kidney, just
> a really, REALLY messed up kidney. It's also, according to the vet, too
> high up to be her spleen.
>
> The ultrasound, predictably, was inconclusive because Sunshine's a
> squirmer. It showed.. something. Same thing as the X-rays.
>
> The doc said she could have a cystic kidney, but she could also have
> some sort of growth that is just obscuring our view of the kidney. We
> don't really know WHAT is going on, and without opening her up and
> having a peek, we probably aren't going to.
>
> The plan for now is for me to get a urine sample and take it in for
> tests. I can also arrange to bring her in for a blood test, but that
> will require that she undergo sedation, so I hope that a urine test
> will be sufficient.
>
> If none of that shows anything, it's wait and watch for us, the vet
> doesn't want to do surgery unless Sunshine displays a need for it.
> Right now she seems to be the picture of a healthy, happy ferret.
> Eating and drinking good, using the bathroom good (although I think she
> strains ever-so-slightly more than the others when she potties, but
> always has), and playing like normal. The only sign that anything is
> amiss is her weird new grooming fetish (she shows NO sign of adrenal,
> BTW, which is what I first suspected because Ipo developed odd behavior
> when she went adrenal. The vet originally suspected lymphoma for
> reasons she didn't discuss with me).
>
> I am wondering if any of this is ringing any bells for anyone. I would
> really appreciate everyone's opinion on this. I just don't want to
> find out later that whatever is wrong with her is something that I
> could have done something about if I had known. What do you guys think
> this could be?
>
> B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
> Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
>
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| Bikerferret |
welcome back yet another not-so-stranger :)
<badlilkitten@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1102369454.987774.298150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Sunshine has developed some problems. I took all four of them to the
> vet last Friday, the other three needed rabies vax, and I wanted
> Sunshine examined because she's had some odd behavior lately.
>
> She's developed a real interest in people's ears and hairlines. Now,
> in Ipo, this is standard behavior, but in Sunshine, it's really odd.
> She's also been licking the back of Ipo's neck so much that she's
> getting bald spots (I don't think she does it to anyone but Ipo?).
>
> So the vet examined her and discovered a lump in her abdomen when she
> palpated her. We decided to give her the weekend to see if perhaps it
> was something that would pass, and made an appointment for X-rays and
> an ultrasound this morning.
>
> Today, she still felt it so we did the x-rays. They have given us more
> questions than answers. There is something showing up on her left
> side. It is, according to the vet, just about too low to be a kidney
> (not the right place), and it is also quite large to be a kidney, and
> completely the wrong shape. Although it could still be a kidney, just
> a really, REALLY messed up kidney. It's also, according to the vet, too
> high up to be her spleen.
>
> The ultrasound, predictably, was inconclusive because Sunshine's a
> squirmer. It showed.. something. Same thing as the X-rays.
>
> The doc said she could have a cystic kidney, but she could also have
> some sort of growth that is just obscuring our view of the kidney. We
> don't really know WHAT is going on, and without opening her up and
> having a peek, we probably aren't going to.
>
> The plan for now is for me to get a urine sample and take it in for
> tests. I can also arrange to bring her in for a blood test, but that
> will require that she undergo sedation, so I hope that a urine test
> will be sufficient.
>
> If none of that shows anything, it's wait and watch for us, the vet
> doesn't want to do surgery unless Sunshine displays a need for it.
> Right now she seems to be the picture of a healthy, happy ferret.
> Eating and drinking good, using the bathroom good (although I think she
> strains ever-so-slightly more than the others when she potties, but
> always has), and playing like normal. The only sign that anything is
> amiss is her weird new grooming fetish (she shows NO sign of adrenal,
> BTW, which is what I first suspected because Ipo developed odd behavior
> when she went adrenal. The vet originally suspected lymphoma for
> reasons she didn't discuss with me).
>
> I am wondering if any of this is ringing any bells for anyone. I would
> really appreciate everyone's opinion on this. I just don't want to
> find out later that whatever is wrong with her is something that I
> could have done something about if I had known. What do you guys think
> this could be?
>
> B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
> Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
>
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| B. Smith |
Thanks for the reply.
I think that the grooming thing is a sign of adrenal, too. What I
should have said is that she shows no other signs of adrenal.
All I know is that this thing is about the size of the tip of my thumb
(from the knuckle up), and it shows up on x-ray. It is on her left
side and in her abdomen, the vet could feel it with palpations, but I
can't feel it just by holding and touching her. You really have to
push down and make her very uncomfortable in order to feel it (the vet
made me feel it at the office).
I hope that we can figure out what is going on with her, thanks for
your well wishes. Hopefully tonight I will get a good clean urine
sample from her and can bring it in for tests and we can go from there.
B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, Niho :-)
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| B. Smith |
Why, thank you! *blush* I didn't think anyone had noticed I was
missing ;-). How's your crew doing? Other than Sunshine's thing and
Ipo's hair loss (besides Sunshine's grooming, she ended up on the wrong
end of a batch of fleas as well and hasn't regrown coat yet), we're all
good here.
B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
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| B. Smith |
Here I go replying to my own posts again :-\.
I need to amend my statement. I didn't think I could feel the lump
just by touching her, but last night I did. She had sprawled out on
the floor on her back, and I reached down to rub her tummy. When I
did, I felt the lump, OMG is it ever huge. Poor, poor girl, that has
got to hurt! *wringing hands*
B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
Sunshine (aka Lumpy), Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
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| Jason and Holly Harper |
Certainly. :)
Wow...yes that's a good size. Not unheard of for an adrenal though.
Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good, especially if you can palpate it.
:( If she's in good health otherwise, I would say it might be best to open
her up and have a looksee. I guess the one problem I have with your vet is
that she doesn't want to do surgery unless Sunshine displays a need for it.
Well, sometimes with adrenal all you have to go on is a change in behavior.
Regardless what it is, I guess knowing what I know now, I wouldn't wait
forever for more signs to crop up. I'm not sure what a urine sample will
tell you, but I am eager to find out.
I'll definitely be keeping my fingers crossed for her.
Holly
p.s.
Just one more question....does it feel like the lump is getting larger?
"B. Smith" <badlilkitten@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1102471696.840026.156300@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> I think that the grooming thing is a sign of adrenal, too. What I
> should have said is that she shows no other signs of adrenal.
>
> All I know is that this thing is about the size of the tip of my thumb
> (from the knuckle up), and it shows up on x-ray. It is on her left
> side and in her abdomen, the vet could feel it with palpations, but I
> can't feel it just by holding and touching her. You really have to
> push down and make her very uncomfortable in order to feel it (the vet
> made me feel it at the office).
>
> I hope that we can figure out what is going on with her, thanks for
> your well wishes. Hopefully tonight I will get a good clean urine
> sample from her and can bring it in for tests and we can go from there.
> B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
> Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, Niho :-)
>
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| B. Smith |
I don't know if the lump is increasing in size or not, I've only known
about it's existence for less than a week now. I *think* it is in the
wrong place to be adrenal, I really do, though I am not ruling that out
at all!. I need to do some serious research.
My gut feeling on this is that it is a kidney thing. Besides having
looked at the x-ray with my vet, I am starting to realize some things.
She asked me about frequent urination or drinking, and I thought "nope"
at the time. But having had time to puzzle over this for a while, I
realize I was wrong. It hit me the other night as I was changing the
potty newspapers.
One of the newspapers got a real soaking a couple months back, enough
for me to think "Wow!". I was concerned, as it seemed like a LOT of
urine. But, the other newspapers weren't used very heavily, so I
thought "guess we have a lazy ferret who would rather go on a dirty
paper than go across the room today!".
That paper still seems to be getting more than it's fair share of
urine, although I never see anyone but Ipo using that one (I was
actually watching Ipo more closely because of that). It is close to
Sunshine's sleepy spot, so she could be sneaking down to it to potty
when I am not looking, it isn't unlikely.
That's the reason for the urine tests, to rule out or rule in kidney
problems. We need to see how she is processing it, depending on how
the various levels turn out, it could show us that she's having kidney
problems or that she's not having any at all. I have noticed
throughout her life that sometimes it seemed she might be trying a
little harder to urinate than the others, but she always checks out
fine at the vet.
I think the real reason my vet doesn't want to do surgery on her is
because she doesn't think that whatever is wrong will be cured by
surgery. I am trying my best to get a clean urine sample but Sunshine
is spectacularly uncooperative there. I am praying that I can get one
over the weekend, she has GOT to pee without pooping, on something that
other ferts haven't already pottied on, in my presence eventually
(right?).
All I know at this point is that I am already heartbroken (I've never
lost a ferret before, Sunshine is the first one I ever got). I am
worried to death about her and she's probably REALLY tired of mom
fussing over her every sneeze now. I don't think my vet is going to
come up with anything new unless it's a test result- I doubt she's
thinking much about this or doing any research. So I am making it my
mission to find out what could be wrong, researching it, and presenting
it to the vet. I am with you in that I don't feel like we have the
TIME to (in her words) backburner this. If we don't come up with
something soon, I'm asking for an exploratory while she's still healthy
and strong enough to take it. If she doesn't want to do it, I know
someone else who will, it's just a matter of getting there. I refuse
to sit idly by while Sunshine slips away from us.
Thanks for your help,
B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
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| ex WGS Hamm |
"B. Smith" <badlilkitten@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1102616928.410718.52080@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> I don't know if the lump is increasing in size or not, I've only known
> about it's existence for less than a week now. I *think* it is in the
> wrong place to be adrenal, I really do, though I am not ruling that out
> at all!. I need to do some serious research.
>
> My gut feeling on this is that it is a kidney thing. Besides having
> looked at the x-ray with my vet, I am starting to realize some things.
> She asked me about frequent urination or drinking, and I thought "nope"
> at the time. But having had time to puzzle over this for a while, I
> realize I was wrong. It hit me the other night as I was changing the
> potty newspapers.
>
> One of the newspapers got a real soaking a couple months back, enough
> for me to think "Wow!". I was concerned, as it seemed like a LOT of
> urine. But, the other newspapers weren't used very heavily, so I
> thought "guess we have a lazy ferret who would rather go on a dirty
> paper than go across the room today!".
>
> That paper still seems to be getting more than it's fair share of
> urine, although I never see anyone but Ipo using that one (I was
> actually watching Ipo more closely because of that). It is close to
> Sunshine's sleepy spot, so she could be sneaking down to it to potty
> when I am not looking, it isn't unlikely.
>
> That's the reason for the urine tests, to rule out or rule in kidney
> problems. We need to see how she is processing it, depending on how
> the various levels turn out, it could show us that she's having kidney
> problems or that she's not having any at all. I have noticed
> throughout her life that sometimes it seemed she might be trying a
> little harder to urinate than the others, but she always checks out
> fine at the vet.
>
> I think the real reason my vet doesn't want to do surgery on her is
> because she doesn't think that whatever is wrong will be cured by
> surgery. I am trying my best to get a clean urine sample but Sunshine
> is spectacularly uncooperative there. I am praying that I can get one
> over the weekend, she has GOT to pee without pooping, on something that
> other ferts haven't already pottied on, in my presence eventually
> (right?).
>
> All I know at this point is that I am already heartbroken (I've never
> lost a ferret before, Sunshine is the first one I ever got). I am
> worried to death about her and she's probably REALLY tired of mom
> fussing over her every sneeze now. I don't think my vet is going to
> come up with anything new unless it's a test result- I doubt she's
> thinking much about this or doing any research. So I am making it my
> mission to find out what could be wrong, researching it, and presenting
> it to the vet. I am with you in that I don't feel like we have the
> TIME to (in her words) backburner this. If we don't come up with
> something soon, I'm asking for an exploratory while she's still healthy
> and strong enough to take it. If she doesn't want to do it, I know
> someone else who will, it's just a matter of getting there. I refuse
> to sit idly by while Sunshine slips away from us.
>
If you cannot get a clean urine sample, get the vet to dope her and insert
a catheter to get the sample, especially if time is of the essence.
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| Jason and Holly Harper |
Catheters are very hard to accomplish in ferrets, just fwiw. I also wanted
to say that when my boy Opie had adrenal his glands were not in the right
spot. They were huge, and ugly. It's hard to tell, without seeing, where
the lump is, but adrenal glands are near the kidneys. But if this is a
different area entirely, then well, of course it's most likely not adrenal.
I do dread lympho. It's not a pretty disease. With adrenal and insulinoma
you kind of have some idea what you're going to experience with it. Not
with lympho. Seems it's different every time. When you're trying to get a
urine sample it's usually best to isolate them so you can be sure it's
theirs. I'm glad that you're not completely opposed to an exploratory.
Sometimes that's all you have. :( I understand what you're going through
with this being your first. It's never easy, but it's extremely hard when
it's your "firstborn".
Good luck.
Holly
"B. Smith" <badlilkitten@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1102616928.410718.52080@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> I don't know if the lump is increasing in size or not, I've only known
> about it's existence for less than a week now. I *think* it is in the
> wrong place to be adrenal, I really do, though I am not ruling that out
> at all!. I need to do some serious research.
>
> My gut feeling on this is that it is a kidney thing. Besides having
> looked at the x-ray with my vet, I am starting to realize some things.
> She asked me about frequent urination or drinking, and I thought "nope"
> at the time. But having had time to puzzle over this for a while, I
> realize I was wrong. It hit me the other night as I was changing the
> potty newspapers.
>
> One of the newspapers got a real soaking a couple months back, enough
> for me to think "Wow!". I was concerned, as it seemed like a LOT of
> urine. But, the other newspapers weren't used very heavily, so I
> thought "guess we have a lazy ferret who would rather go on a dirty
> paper than go across the room today!".
>
> That paper still seems to be getting more than it's fair share of
> urine, although I never see anyone but Ipo using that one (I was
> actually watching Ipo more closely because of that). It is close to
> Sunshine's sleepy spot, so she could be sneaking down to it to potty
> when I am not looking, it isn't unlikely.
>
> That's the reason for the urine tests, to rule out or rule in kidney
> problems. We need to see how she is processing it, depending on how
> the various levels turn out, it could show us that she's having kidney
> problems or that she's not having any at all. I have noticed
> throughout her life that sometimes it seemed she might be trying a
> little harder to urinate than the others, but she always checks out
> fine at the vet.
>
> I think the real reason my vet doesn't want to do surgery on her is
> because she doesn't think that whatever is wrong will be cured by
> surgery. I am trying my best to get a clean urine sample but Sunshine
> is spectacularly uncooperative there. I am praying that I can get one
> over the weekend, she has GOT to pee without pooping, on something that
> other ferts haven't already pottied on, in my presence eventually
> (right?).
>
> All I know at this point is that I am already heartbroken (I've never
> lost a ferret before, Sunshine is the first one I ever got). I am
> worried to death about her and she's probably REALLY tired of mom
> fussing over her every sneeze now. I don't think my vet is going to
> come up with anything new unless it's a test result- I doubt she's
> thinking much about this or doing any research. So I am making it my
> mission to find out what could be wrong, researching it, and presenting
> it to the vet. I am with you in that I don't feel like we have the
> TIME to (in her words) backburner this. If we don't come up with
> something soon, I'm asking for an exploratory while she's still healthy
> and strong enough to take it. If she doesn't want to do it, I know
> someone else who will, it's just a matter of getting there. I refuse
> to sit idly by while Sunshine slips away from us.
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> B. Smith and her frivolous foursome :-)
> Sunshine, Gator, Ipo, and Niho :-)
>
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