ferret with lump on side of neck

Question
I just read about a ferret with a hard lump on the bottom of his neck.  My ferret rapidly developed a lump on the side of her neck and I took her to the vet.  It is now the size of a walnut!  He is treating her with antibiotics and he did take xrays and said it was either a bone infection or bone cancer.  She is eating, drinking, and all other bodily fuctions seem to be doing fine.  She is still playful.  she is 4 year old.  I am looking for a vet to get a second opinion.  I live in St john indiana 46373.  Please any recommendations you can give me will be helpful.  Thank you so much.
I adopted this ferret 2 1/2 years ago and she has been such a sweetie.  Please help.
I wonder if the other person who wrote about the lump came to any conclusion.  

Answer
Hello Sandy,

Your poor girl!  It is unfortunate how quickly some of these lumps arise.  One day she is fine, and the next there is a large mass.  There is nothing you could have done to prevent it, these things occur very rapidly. It is wonderful that she has such a loving owner to care for her!  You are doing everything possible, and she appreciates that.    

The next step is to contact a second veterinarian for another opinion.  I assume the mass is very hard and unmoving? If so, it is likely as the first veterinarian said; some form of bone disease or infection.  Most other types of masses are soft enough to take an aspirate with a needle, which I am guessing, is not the case. Has the vet taken any x-rays of the skull/neck? This might be a useful diagnostic tool as well.   

Do the antibiotics seem to be working?  Is the mass becoming larger? These are questions you should keep in your mind as you monitor her.  This way, you can report back to your veterinarian with what you observe.

Here is a list of ferret veterinarians in the United States.  There are search functions so that you can narrow it down to Indiana.  I am not sure how knowledgeable any one of the doctors will be, but it is a good start.  

VETS USA:
* http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/
* http://www.ferret-universe.com/vets/vetlist.asp
* http://www.ferretsanctuary.com/vets.shtml
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/

Another option is to go to Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine in West Lafayette, IN.  (I applied there for vet school, but I'm attending Louisiana this fall) It is roughly an hour and a half drive from your town.  Any vet school practices state of the art medicine and have MANY veterinarians on staff including board certified surgeons and internists.  They have all of the expensive machinery for advanced diagnostics, such as ultrasound, CAT scan, MRI, etc. In my opinion, I would use this as my next step.  At least you know you will get the most up to date medicine for your girl.  They should also have an emergency clinic if the need arises.  

Here is the information for the Purdue Animal Hospital:

Purdue Small Animal Hospital
625 Harrison Street
West Lafayette IN 47907     
Phone: 765-494-1107

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/vth/       

I wish you and your girl the best of luck.  Please let me know how this turns out or if you have any further questions.  Unfortunately, I do not know how the other person faired with her ferret.  I do not often receive updates, and it leaves me wondering and hoping for the best.

-Cindy P.