From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-04-17 15:18:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Adrenal-induced estrus termination.
Edward wrote:
> Could it be that in a ferret displaying a swollen vulva as a consequence
>of adrenal malfunction (absence) that this condition may be 'normal'
>under the conditions that currently exist in the endocrine mix that is
>her situation.
>
>If the swollen vulva is a consequence of the hormonal changes that are
>extant (and that may be considered 'normal') then the next step is to
>'work' within the normal functioning of an artificially estral female.
>
>By working within the normal functioning of the estral female, we all
>know that the normal action that would follow would be the mating of the
>estral female with a viripotent or vasectomized male ferret. Since she
>would not likely become pregnant (ovaries, tubes and uterus gone) then
>the options you have would be as I mentioned above: coitus with a
>viripotent or vasectomized male.
In cases in which there is an adrenal cause of hyper-estrogenism it
is the result of a growth being present in the adrenal. It may be a
form of neoplasia; it may be a non-malignant tumor of some type; it
may be one of a few possible malignant types of tumors. It is the
growth which causes this secretion of estrogen, so I can't see how
the growth could be expected to respond in the ways that normal
ovaries would respond. The growth is an aberration, after all. With
or without mating the growths will still be there and they are not a
part of normal health or of normal functioning, so I can't see why
mating would expected to cause the growths to behave like normal
tissue.
Heat is part of a normal complex sequence of events with sequential
feed-back mechanisms and balances, not a simple hormonal release.
I have heard of it being tried years ago with suspected ovarian
fragments without luck; you'll find mentions in back issues of the
FML.
It is NOT the absence of adrenal glands which causes
hyper-estrogenism; in fact,affected glands are removed to end it.