Message Number: YG13838 | New FHL Archives Search
From: dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-06-14 21:52:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Dr. Williams or other vet

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Rhea Fulmer <bama1803@y...> wrote:
> I have a female ferret that was given to me who is of
> unknown age. She apparently has adrenal disease as
> she has lost most of her fur. What concerns me most
> is that she has an enlarged lower abdomen, and her
> skin on her back has occasional red splotches on it.
> Sometimes there are quite a lot of them, and they come
> and go.

Couple of possibilities here -

1) The skin problem may be related to adrenal disease. Adrenal
ferrets often develop red spots on the skin, which tend to last for a
couple of days and then disappear. still don't know exactly what
causes them, but they don't last long.

2) NOw the enlarged abdomen may simply be an accumulation of fat in
the abdomen, which is common in older to geriatric ferrets with
adrenal disease (they get pretty pear-shaped.) However, it could
also be the result of other diseases such as heart disease, or even
some types of tumors in the abdomen. In such cases, an abdominal X-
ray can quickly discern between fat and fluid, and is probably the
first course of action here. Wouldn't want to do adrenal surgery on
a ferret with heart disease...

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, DVM