From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2003-05-22 21:32:04 UTC
Subject: RE: need help with adrenal question
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1810740.1053639124112.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
> ferret and bites her hard. She has been showing no signs of anything
> wrong until today, when her owner noticed her vulva was swollen. She may
> be adrenal or possibly have an ovarian remnant, but my question is this,
> could the raised level of sex hormones she has provoke sexual behaviour
> in the other ferret, without anything being wrong with him,
Yes, that certainly can happen, and the ferret triggering that behavior doesn't even need to be female.
In such situations the possibility that either or even both ferrets may have a problem needs to be considered. If the female is secreting high hormone levels the male may respond, but alternatively, irritation from an overly attentive male may cause a vaginal infection in a female.
In ferrets adrenal disease causes such problems as hyperestogenism rather than the perturbations caused by Cushings disease which is why specialized tests like the TN Panel are used when testing is chosen.
If the vet thinks that she might have an infection the female and male could be separated while the vet treats for a possible infection. If the vulva remains up, or if it already is obviously not just an infection then the female could use surgery to find out what is going on. You are aware of the possibilities.
The people with these ferrets need to be aware of possible complications such as dysuria in males since adrenal disease can inflame the prostate and cause an inability to urinate.
Hope that helps. I'm not a vet; just someone with ferrets in the family for 21 years.