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> From: Lyman, Tana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Help
> Date: 11 May 2000 15:49
>
> I just talked to my vet and he now thinks the problem with Pookie's paw
is a
> tumor, rather than just an abcessed infection. He is of the opinion that
an
> infection would have cleared up by now, with all we've been doing to
combat
> it. He's going to do some research to determine what kind of tumor it is
> likely to be, but he thinks it is probably malignant. So now I have a
> horrible decision to make. If we leave things alone it will get worse
and
> worse and probably kill him eventually. Cancer is a horrid way to die.
We
> can have the leg amputated (I keep saying his paw but it's really his
whole
> leg) but I am unsure how well he would adapt. Or we can have him put to
> sleep. If there is anybody on the list that had to have a gerbil's leg
> amputated I would like to hear from them. I need some idea of how well
he
> would or would not adapt. His quality of life is the big issue here. I
> don't want him to be miserable!
>
Hi Tana,
Sorry to hear of your dilemma. I think I missed out on a previous posting.
But I'm sure that amputation would be the best option. Gerbil's can
manage perfectly well on 3 paws.
Sue
