From:
Natasha Mohr
Date: 2001-06-12 06:24:00 UTC
Subject: Vets please help -- Need opinions -- is this ferret
adrenal?
I have attached two .jpgs of Gabrielle, one of my five year old
sprites. In August, it will be two years since she was diagnosed with
cardiomyopathy. She's done very well on a combination of digitalis, lasix,
and enacard.
She developed classic adrenal-pattern thinning hair at the base of her tail
not long after being diagnosed with the heart trouble. Her vulva has never
been swollen, but the pattern of hair loss has been very slowly progressing
up her body. The photos are actually of her hind end, where the hair loss
is occurring. <g>
My dilemma is this. I have been reading with interest the discussion about
doing surgery on cardio ferrets, but I am not ready to risk the anesthesia
with Gab, whose heart problems are in the moderate range. Therefore, not
only can she not have surgery, she also cannot have blood sent for the
Tennessee adrenal panel, because the amount of blood needed can only be
gotten from her if she's gassed down (you gotta know Gab), and she's so
small that my vet actually is worried about taking that much blood from her
all at once, considering her heart.
I have also been reading with interest the posts concerning lupron. I
already get lupron shots for one of my other ferrets, after she had two
surgeries and never got relief from symptoms. She will be on it also going
on two years in August. It has worked wonders for her.
So, my questions are -- is Gabrielle adrenal? Lupron seems the only real
option for her, but my vet is unwilling to administer a lupron shot without
more evidence, and I thought perhaps some second opinions would help. Will
lupron hurt her if the hair loss is caused by something else? Is there
risk involved? Etc.
Please help if you can. Thanks.
-Natasha Mohr
Attachment 35k (image/jpeg) gabrielle-1.jpg
Attachment 39k (image/jpeg) gabrielle-2.jpg