Lymphoma is sadly a very common disease among ferrets. Unfortunately, there is no specific or special treatment for this disease, as doctors still don’t know what causes lymphoma in ferrets. So, looking for a single treatment for this disease is not possible.
Lymphocytes are sort of like blood cells that travel throughout the whole body.
That is why lymphoma in ferrets can occur in any part of the body. It is a tumor that attacks the most important parts of the immune system, putting the life of the ferret at heavy risk.
First, we need to know what exactly is lymphoma and how dangerous it is for an animal.
What Is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is also known as Lymphosarcoma in the medical language. It is a type of tumor.
This cancer affects the lymphoid tissues which are present in almost every organ of the body. It can attack the bone marrow, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, heart, nervous system, eyes, skin, and respiratory system.
Lymphoma doesn’t depend on the gender of the ferret. It just attacks anyone of any age. However, interestingly, the way it works in ferrets of different ages is different.
Normally, we find lymphoma in ferrets of young age. It sometimes appears in ferrets of age 2-5 too. If a young ferret has lymphoma, it will end poorly. This disease develops very quickly and spreads throughout his whole body within a short time.
On the other hand, if an adult ferret gets lymphoma, it may not affect him as severely. He can survive it quite well and defeat it sooner than expected. This disease takes a long time to spread through the body of an adult ferret. Therefore, if you have adult, mature ferrets, they are pretty safe and their bodies have the ability to survive it.
But keep in mind, the gravity of this disease depends on which part of the body it is, and how much spreads throughout the organs.
What Are The Signs Of Lymphoma?
The signs of lymphoma are often visible near the organ where the disease attacks. The most common signs of this disease are:
- Poor appetite
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Coughing
- Bloody feces
- Taking deep breaths
- Weakness in hind legs
- Paralysis
- Hemorrhage
- Failed kidneys
- Fever
- Dehydration
According to those owners whose ferrets have suffered from lymphoma, “their ferrets did not show any signs of the disease.”
This is good news, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for the treatment. A study proves that a quarter of ferrets don’t even show any signs of the disease. That’s why regular checkups are necessary to keep your pet safe from this ailment. Take your pet to the vet once a month at least to ensure their health is alright and they are protected from any latent disease.
If you need help finding a good quality vet near you, check out our guide here.
How Does A Physical Examination Play An Important Role
Since lymphoma builds up in most of the organs inside the body, a physical examination will find out which organ is affected by lymphoma the most.
A ferret suffering from lymphoma sometimes develops an enlarged spleen or lymph nodes. But then again, the enlargement symptom does not always become visible. You have to depend on a proper physical examination to see the root cause and the most affected part of his body.
Bone Marrow is another main part that gets affected by lymphoma, so getting its biopsy report is important. The blood changes will be made due to the presence of a new disease. A blood test will help you know which organ has been labored by it.
With the help of ultrasound, the doctor will read what exactly is wrong with the ferret and if all the symptoms are right then a sign of tumor will be shown in the ultrasound report.
Your ferret will go through a couple of other tests also to ensure all the symptoms point at a single disease. The doctor will take a look at the medical history of the ferret to make sure all the reports are pointing in the right direction.
The physical examination greatly helps in lessening the work of doctors and helps them in coming up with a suitable treatment.
What Are The Stages of Lymphoma In Ferrets?
Apparently, there are no specific stages of lymphoma, but with the help of many professional vets and the World Health Government (WHO), the doctors are able to put down a certain staging list that defines how lymphoma develops inside ferrets.
- First Stage:
It attacks a single organ inside a ferret’s body and causes swelling.
- Second Stage:
Other organs near the affected area get the disease and also start swelling.
- Third Stage:
The liver and spleen get involved as lymphoma slowly spread across the body.
- Fourth Stage:
Finally, lymphoma has spread throughout the body; it affects bone marrow and blood.
What Is The Treatment Of Lymphoma In Ferrets?
Lymphoma does not get noticed most of the time, which means that many pet owners find out too late. If your ferret gets affected by it and you have time to treat it, chemotherapy is the best option.
Chemotherapy is the most common option used by doctors to treat ferrets with lymphoma.
It involves certain medications that are provided to your ferret on regular basis. The symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and other clinical situations start decreasing, and your ferret gradually becomes more comfortable and pain-free.
Once the treatment is successful, your ferret won’t be going through those symptoms again. But you must keep in mind that a perfect cure for lymphoma has not yet been discovered.
You will have to go to the vet for a monthly checkup to make sure the lymphoma is not getting worse. The doctor will keep doing examinations every month. They can also recommend a good diet for a quick healing process.
During the surgery/treatment, your ferret can have weakness, and he can start vomiting as well due to the constant medication. If that happens, don’t worry and contact your vet right away. He can prescribe new medications to prevent weakness and give him some strength.