From:
williamsb@comcast.net
Date: 2002-07-22 03:29:25 UTC
Subject: RE: Adrenal question
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <10841190.1027308565971.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> Hello,
> Does adrenal disease show up on x-ray and or ultra sound?
> My local vet thinks that this is the best way to diagnose adrenal disease.
> Nothing showed up on our current x-ray.
> Also, she states there is no blood work available to test adrenal. I'm pretty
> sure there is.
Dear Suzi:
Survey radiographs generally only pick up adrenal tumors if they are very large - or very advanced. Ultrasound may be more sensitive, however, it is still relatively insensitive, as you may often have small estrogen-secreting tumors that do not result in an overall enlargement of the gland, or other noticeable change.
The blood panel available through the Dept. of Endocrinology at the University of Tennessee College of Vet Med is predictive in about 95% of cases and is overall a very effective blood test.
That being said, I'm not sure that the advice that you were given is current...
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM