• Classic - A more chronic lymphocytic form which affects ferrets 5-7 years of age. This is a cancer of the lymphatic system.
• Juvenile - A rapidly progressive lymphoblastic form which is most common in ferrets under 2 years of age

What happens when classic Lymphoma occurs?

Classic lymphoma occurs in older ferrets and causes enlarged lymph nodes and irregularities in the blood cell count, but often the ferret doesn't show any outward signs until the disease has progressed pretty far, at which point the ferret suddenly gets very sick.  By this point, the disease has typically spread to the visceral organs (including liver, kidneys, lungs, and spleen) resulting in organ failure and death.  Lymphomas often can occur in combination with pancreatic and adrenal tumors in older ferrets.

Juvenile lymphosarcoma, also called the lymphoblastic form, affects ferrets from one to two years of age.  Juvenile differs largely from the classic form in older ferrets. Typically, the lymph nodes do not become enlarged and this form hits very hard and fast.  Some folks have said their ferret was fine one day and crashed the next, literally.  The thymus, spleen, liver, and many other organs may be affected. Unfortunately there can be a high rate of misdiagnosis especially if the Vet does not have extensive ferret experience. Depending on what organs have been affected, this form can appear to be other diseases such as cardiomyopathy or pneumonia.

Are there any symptoms?

Some possible symptoms could be weakness, diarrhea, weight loss and swollen lymph nodes.  Your ferret may also experience difficulty breathing or develop a cough because of a large chest tumor. Some develop a very large spleen. Others get very large lymph nodes around the throat, armpits and knees.

How is a Diagnosis made?

In many cases, the diagnosis is not made easily. A biopsy is really the only way to confirm it.  Having a lymph node biopsied or a biopsy of visceral organs, the spleen most likely, or bone marrow, may also give a diagnosis. A full blood count might show cancerous cells present, but this happens only in a very small percentage of cases. A diagnosis by biopsy is basically required before any treatment is started.   A swollen node can sometimes be a fat pad - the biopsy can determine which it is.  Your veterinarian and pathologist can evaluate the tissue cell distribution and cell division.  This helps them to predict whether the tumor will progress quickly.

What are the Treatments?

Sadly, prognosis is very poor.

• Prednisone - this medication will show initial improvement and decrease the size of peripheral nodes.  Unfortunately, many ferrets, after 4-6 weeks will end up having the disease spread further and will not be responsive to further pred treatments.
• Chemotherapy - if the ferret meets certain criteria that makes him/her a good candidate for chemotherapy, it may extend their life by 6 months to 2 years.  However, this treatment usually will not cure the disease.  Unfortunately, due to the fact there are few early warning signs, the cancer is usually at an advanced stage or has spread to other organs by the time it is diagnosed.  Side effects of chemo may include depression, weakness, anorexia, whisker loss, hair loss.  It is possible for the ferret to become more susceptible to other diseases due to the use of chemo.  An agressive treatment in combination with prednisone for 14 weeks is the most popular chemo treatment.
• Although a few young ferrets respond well to chemotherapy, the prognosis for long term survival and well-being is poor, especially in ferrets less than a year old.
• Many older ferrets do well for many years following the diagnosis of lymphoma with minimal chemotherapy and steroid drug treatments.

Are  there any preventative measures?

Getting an early diagnosis may increase life expectancy slightly with treatment and help you to make informed decisions on what treatment to provide. 

Young ferrets should be playful and have a good appetite, so if your ferret has a change of appetite or attitude, contact your veterinarian for a thorough exam.

Older ferrets should be examined regularly by a veterinarian, and if your ferret has a poor appetite or extreme lethargy he/she should be examined more often.