From:
caitlynmaire@earthlink.net
Date: 2002-06-03 09:17:00 UTC
Subject: Re: new to the list, old ferret
Hi, Donna,
> The male has been in poor health for
> about a year now. He eats, but still looks like a skeleton (problem
> #1). And lately he keeps urinating in his hammock(problem #2) and is
> losing his hair from the urinic acid. I wash his hammock every few
> days, but it's not helping.
> About 6 months ago I brought him to the vet because he had lost
> almost all his hair. At the time that was the only symptom that we
> saw. The vet said it was mange! I don't think he knew what he was
> talking about, it was NOT mange.
Hair loss and weight loss are symptoms of adrenal disease. Urinary
problems can be caused by an enloarged prostate, also a symptom of
adrenal disease in males.
> Is all of this just from "old age"? We call him the little old man
> now because that's what he looks like.
Despite his age it may not be too late for adrenal surgery which may
well correct all of the problems you've described so far. Our ferret
Podo had that surgery at the age of seven and a half. He is doing
brilliantly and approaching his eight birthday (we think--he may
actually be older). I respectfully think you have to find a new,
ferret-knowledgeable vet who is familiar with treatment (both surgical
and medical) for adrenal disease. This isn't simply old age, and if it
is adrenal it is very treatable.
> Well, he was better for a while and now this morning I found him
> upside down hanging half way out of his hammock. I though he was
> dead! He had poop matted all over him and his hammock. (that was not
> there last night!) I took him out and washed him off and he started
> pooping some more and it looked like thick motor oil!(#3) Even his
> urine, or what I assumed was urine, it was yellow mucousy stuff
> coming out of his penis(#4), but it was thick too! He was extremely
> dehydrated, even though he can reach the water bottle from his
> hammock.
Get him to a vet ASAP. This isn't adrenal, and ferrets can go downhill
very quickly. The files section for this list on Yahoo Groups has a
listing of vets all over the country who are ferret-savvy.
>
> I love my new vet, but there's not alot of ferrets in our area, any
> suggestions that I could tell him to test for or look for? Or
> suggestions to point him in a certain direction?
Ferret medicine is different than cat/dog/etc... You really need a
ferret knowledgeable vet. Where are you located? Very likely someone
here can give you a good recommendation.
All the best,
Caity and the notorious nine
>