My first ferret ever was Picaro Opossum, a poor little guy that had been returned multiple times just days after being brought home. He was in a cage at the pet store, alone, just sitting there. I had always wanted a ferret and had done a lot of research, so while we did fall for him and buy him a little on impulse, I had an idea of what I was getting into. Picaro was a great introduction to ferrets. Sweet, curious, but not to hyper. Unfortunately, it was only a few months after we got him he showed all the symptoms of cancer. A mass, lethargy, weak back-legs, ect. My grandmother had cancer at the time and the stress of that made it so caring for a sick ferret was too hard. There was a place that took in sick ferrets and care for them, so we gave him to that. We had bought Picaro a friend, however, a little girl named Bribon. Bri (as we called her) was a sweet ferret also, with bug eyes and a pretty bib of white. She was now all alone, so the same day we took in Picaro we picked up a little sister for Bri, Navasca (nick named Naba). Naba and Bri sorted out their pecking order in a few hours and became the best of friends, always together. For my brother's birthday we got a third ferret, a little boy that looked like a wolverine. He got named Azucar, or Ozzie for short. Unfortunately, just like Picaro, he got the same sort of cancer. Lethargy, pale gums, always laying down, going to sleep just minutes after play time started. The symptoms would get better and then worse. I like to say that the sisters knew when he was ready to go. One day, they got into my room and dug away the cardboard that blocked up a whole to the attic (they weren't suppose to be able to get into my room, let alone into the attic). They both went to sleep behind the desk, but Ozzie disappeared into the wall and we never found him again. It was heart breaking to loose the big boy, but we didn't have the money to cure him, there was nothing we could have done to treat his cancer. I hope one day people can find a way to stop all this cancer in boy ferrets. My two girls weren't the healthiest, but they were full of energy. It seems to me all to often care isn't taken to breed or raise healthy ferrets by the mass breeders. My ferrets had poorly shaped eyes, were either too skinny or over weight their whole lives, and the boys were neutered at too young an age. However, I will never regret getting any of those ferrets. I gave them a good life, good friends, and they made me a better person. Some day, when I have the money to help more ferrets, I want to be the person who can take in ferrets with cancer and be able to help cure them so they can live long, healthy lives. Rest In Peace Picaro Opossum and Azucar Wolverine.

Hi and welcome.  
I'm sorry for your losses.  Honestly, the most we do for cancers (insulinoma and lymphoma) is prednisolone, which is not very expensive.  More aggressive chemotherapy is very expensive and hard on delicate fuzzies. I'm sure you saw what your grandmother went through.  Pred will extend their lives but it's not a cure.

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