Message Number: YG13582 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Amy & Dave Seyler
Date: 2002-06-05 09:35:00 UTC
Subject: Would like opinion - male/adrenal (long)

With all the talk recently of adrenal males and prostate problems, I'd like
to get some feedback from you all on my situation.

Max is 8 years old, and is marginally adrenal (just has thin coat, no bald
spots). The hair loss has not progressed in any way for at least six months.
He is insulinomic though, and IMO not a good surgical candidate, with
veterinary agreement.

In mid-May our family went to the beach for a few days and I had a trusted
friend watch my ferrets. When I got back she told me that day Max had been
struggling with the litter pan. She thought it was a blockage, but
considering he's been on a liquid diet for over a year, I didn't think this
was the case.

I took him home and gave him a warm bath to see what would happen, and he
tried to urinate. It was made up of diluted blood and he grunted as he tried
to go. I could see his urethral muscles spasming. My first thought was UTI
or bladder infection, but I considered the possibility of prostate as well.

I took him to another ferret-knowledgeable vet (regular vet wasn't
available) the next day, and he was Xrayed (no stones) and the urine was
still pink, not really bloody. The vet wanted to perform surgery immediately
for adrenal, which I did not allow. I saw the Xray and there was the
faintest shadow of something above his bladder/prostate area, which the vet
could not identify.

Since then, Max has been on Clavamox 0.5 ml 2x/day and within the first
couple of days, the urine cleared up, he perked up and did not strain. Now
he's urinating normally and eating like a horse.

My questions (finally!): is the possible shadow something to worry about? Do
males who have prostate problems perk up completely after antibiotics, only
to go downhill later? Max's back legs are fairly weak at this point, and I
think he's probably not "dragging" himself properly after using the box.
We've switched to newspaper in his cage now.

I don't want to be paranoid, but I'd like some feedback from you all who've
dealt with this.

Thanks in advance!
Amy

Amy, Dave, Sarah & Paul (and their gaggle of giggling ferrets)
RIP Ian, Elektra, Claudia & Sidney