From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2003-02-17 04:02:38 UTC
Subject: RE: Is my ferret in heat?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <26606528.1045454558309.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Dear Debbie:
While there is the possibility that she is in heat - it is less likely than her having adrenal disease. We very rarely see intact female ferrets except those that have been used as breeding stock. Unspayed females will often develop life-threatenng bone marrow depression as a result of being in heat - they must be bred to come out of heat. While they are in het, they produce high levels of estrogen, which eventualy damages the bone marrow. this happens in about 50% of unspayed females, and the chances of her going thorugh multiple heat cycles successfully without breeding are even less.
However, female ferrets with adrenal disease will also secrete estrogens, which cause vulvar swelling, but for reasons we don't know, have no bone marrow involvement. They may also have uterine infections (known as "stump pyometras") which resultin the discharge you are seeing.
My suggestion is to take this one in quickly for an abdominal exploratory - if it is an adrenal, you can remove the adrenal and the inflamed section of uterus, and if she isn't spayed, well then you can do that just as well.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
Author wrote:
Now for the problem... Yesterday she developed a VERY strong
> pungent urine smell. Her vulva is swollen and is not bleeding but is draining
> some small amount of discharge. She does not seem to have any other symptoms
> related to Adrenal (hair loss, ect.), so I am wondering if maybe she has gone
> in to heat? I have never experience a ferret in heat and do not know what to
> look for. She has increased her activity in a big way and the male ferrets
> are reacting differently toward her even though they are neutered. She was
> bathed and by the next day, smelled like urine again. Not the normal smell of
> ferret, but urine. And she is not "rolling" in it.
> Thanks for any help...(I am taking her to the vet on Monday)
> Debbie