From:
critr36
Date: 2002-02-20 01:11:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Stiff Ferret
Niclole,
I recently lost a 2 year old male ferret to metastasized adrenal
disease. He was tested the month after I got him in September. he
just didn't look or act completely healthy, then he had a urinary
blockage and had surgery for that. His adrenal panal came back
negative for adrenal disease and the rest of this bloodwork was
normal except for anemia. After 4 months he started to do the typical
hair loss so we decided to do exploratory surgery. We found his
right adrenal was enlarged and the cancer had spread to his liver to
a point that surgical resection was not an option. The left gland
was also enlarged. We euthanized him on the table. Our best guess
was that his right gland was cancerous but not producing hormone as
they typically do. It just was cancerous and spread to the liver.
The left gland probably acted more typically and produced hormone
which created the hair loss. So...an adrenal gland can be abnormal
or cancerous without necessarily producing the usual hormone. Just a
thought with my recent experience.
Susan Holland
He was seen by his vet for all of the above (the adrenal test was
> acutally done twice - both negative). She has been at a loss for a
> conclusion. He doesn't seem unhappy or uncomfortable, just very
> stiff.
>
> Thanks - I welcome any thoughts.
> Nicole