From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-03-15 01:18:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Lysodren vs. Lupron, and two questions of my own
J Holmes writes:
>
>Thank you for all of the information. I have decided to go with the
>surgeries and space them out a little to make it more affordable. I
>would like to ask one more question. I am concerned about just going
>ahead with surgery on my little girl. Nick, my 3-year-old boy is
>losing hair all over his body. It may be more noticeable on him
>since he is white and his skin is so bright pink. Vicki, my 3-year-
>old girl, only seems to be losing hair on her tail. It looks like it
>may be starting to thin a little behind her back legs. How can you
>tell the difference between seasonal shedding and adrenal disease?
>Both of them have had "rat tail" before and the hair has grown back.
>Her vulva is not swollen at all. I have read that ultrasounds don't
>always pick up adrenal disease. Is there a blood test or something
>that could confirm that she does need the surgery?
There's the Tennessee Panel. It runs about $80 I think if it is sent
directly, but can run $180 if not. I know about the latter number
because we were so concerned about Jumpstart that we just told them
to go ahead.
***** Any one here have the direct TN Panel sending info?*****
We don't tend to run the blood test on females usually, but given
prostate problems we do on a male family member who is questionable.
Usually if the signs are there we just have our vets go in; sometimes
they have wanted to wait a little while (a month or two) to let the
growth become easier to see.
Jumper startled everyone by testing fine on all levels, but his paws
are getting balder and balder, and coat is thinning. We'll repeat
the test soon, but we really are getting worried and thinking that an
exploratory might find something the test has missed, though that is
very possibly more worry talking than anything else. If he gets a
good Spring coat we'll be relieved but cautious.
A few years back, though we had a female who looked classically
adrenal but she had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and was not a
candidate for surgery. When she had her necropsy there was no adrenal
disease; she was just a Rogaine kind of individual. She was the
EXCEPTION, though. The others with signs have had it --consistently.
*****How often can a male ferret with a TN Panel where the values
fall into the normal ranges still have adrenal disease that is far
enough to almost bald all of his paws, and thin his coat?*****