Message Number: YG14082 | New FHL Archives Search
From: warnbj
Date: 2002-06-21 21:33:00 UTC
Subject: Partial Spay in Female Ferret

I work for a small zoo. We have a young (~year and a half) female
ferret we obtained in Sept. She has been developing a rapidly
enlarging vulva over the last 4 weeks. Our primary vet performed
exploratory surgery 3 weeks ago thinking she hadn't been spayed (he
saw no scar). She had been spayed. No ovaries; a "piece" of uterus
remaining. He sent her to our secondary vet. He performed an
ultrasound this week to see if he could observe an adrenal gland
tumor. Adrenals look normal. He believes she has had an "incomplete
spay", and that some ovarian material remains in her body.

He "prescribed" mating with an unaltered male to halt estrus. We are
not having any luck finding a breeder or shelter anywhere around (SW
Ohio) that can help us.

We've read of using proligestone for a "Jill Jab". Our primary vet
has tried three veterinary supply houses and none carry the drug.
The only reference we find is to "Delvosteron" made by Intervet UK
Ltd.

Does anyone know where we can get this veterinary drug? Does
the "Jill Jab" work as effectively as mating?

Can the partial uterus cause this problem? Or are we trying to
chase "remnant ovaries"? I've seen references to "microscopic
ovarian particles" causing this trouble.