female albino ferret

Question
hi yoda is 4 years old she been spayed. she is off her food lost loads of weight, she has a red mouth sleepy eyes and lumps either side of her bum. she is still active but wants to sleep alot. she has had two steroid injections and injection of antibiotics and a course of antibiotics. she got a little better but still poorly. please help she too young to die

Answer
Hello Jill,

Did he vet have any ideas what it might be?  The only things that come to mind which are "on either side of her bum" are anal glands (assuming she is not de-scented) or lymph nodes.  If they are the lymph nodes, lymphoma is something to consider although other nodes are generally enlarged as well, such as under the arm pits or on the neck.  Weight loss and lethargy are common symptoms for about any condition under the sun, which makes it impossible to guess what might be causing it.

The best option is to run a full set of diagnostics at your vet's office and treat accordingly. I would certainly have full bloodwork and xrays +/- an ultrasound or biopsy of the "lumps" if the vet thinks they might be tumors.  The sooner the condition is diagnosed, the more likely it is to have a better prognosis.  

I wish you and Yoda the best luck at discovering what is wrong.  Unfortunately the symptoms are too vague to give you much of an indication as to what may be causing it.  

-Cindy P.