From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-04-22 13:27:00 UTC
Subject: Re: itching
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., jazmufsky@a... wrote:
> I have a five (or so) year old rescue named Skylar, who has a UTI
and was on
> Clavamox for ten days. The UTI has not resolved and he will be
visiting the
> vet again early next week. However, he has been itching like crazy
for a
> couple of weeks now. He has been off the Clavamox for about a
week. He had
> a bath (we bathe maybe two or three times a year), about the time
the itching
> started. Last week, he began losing fur behind his ears. Now, on
his throat
> area. I have also noticed him marking but no aggressive male
behavior; he
> was neutered about a year and a half ago. I have also have
switched him over
> to TF Senior.
>
> I am suspecting perhaps adrenal with the symptoms, but the balding
pattern
> is puzzling. I have researched the archives of the FML and Dr.
Williams site
> without a clear answer. His tail fur is a bit sparse, but his coat
has
> always been like that. Could we be dealing with a food allergy
here?
> Perhaps a reaction or something connected with his UTI? I know a
Tennessee
> panel would help, but has anybody here experienced similar
symptoms? None of
> the other eleven have had a problem.
>
Dear Trish -
While I can't give you a definitive answer here, adrenal disease is
probably at the top of the list. You have hair loss (it is not a
typical pattern but many don't read the books), reproductive signs
(marking is as good as aggressive behaviour, if this is a new
behavior), and I am concerned that UTI that you have been treating
him for may be the dysuria resulting from prostatic disease, rahter
than a true infection, which is uncommon in male ferrets. Itchiness
(pruritis) has also been often identified as a symptom of adrenal
disease in ferrets.
Food allergies are uncommon in ferrets, and most present with loose
stools rather than itchy skin. To me, all of the symptoms in this
case (4 of 4) are pointing to adrenal disease.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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