From:
nigel.banks@sympatico.ca
Date: 2003-07-25 02:12:52 UTC
Subject: Adrenal fat
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7935610.1059099172217.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Here is teaser for one of the vets, if you can comment, we would be very gr=
ateful.
Arlo is a foster who came into our care days before Xmas. He had had an ope=
ration in early december to remove an enlarged left adrenal. As the doctor =
was attempting to remove the left adrenal gland, it slipped and fell back i=
nto the body cavity. The doctor felt sure that the gland was mangled in th=
e attempt, however she was unable to relocate any part of it. The right ad=
renal appeared normal. Within a month he went from a bald ferret to a very=
hairy fuzzy. Two months later, he started showing adrenal signs, marking =
and excessive grooming of his cage mates. He was put on Lupron (200 mcg) m=
onthly depot which dealt with all noticable symptoms. In July (7 months po=
st surgery) and just following the death of his long term cage mate, we not=
iced a yellow, pus like discharge from his penis. Upon examination, it was=
found that his prostate was enlarged and it was suspected that he had a bl=
adder infection. He was treated with antibiotics and his Lupron was increa=
sed to 400 mcg monthly depot. At the follow-up two weeks later, he was giv=
en another 400 mcg monthly depot. And surgery was booked. When opened up=
, the vet remarked that the prostate was very close to normal size. The vet=
found what she described as a "finger tip sized golden nugget" sitting up =
on top of his intestines. She removed this and spent the next half hour se=
arching for any other adrenal tissue. The right adrenal was of normal size =
and appearance and she found no other apparent adrenal tissue.
Pathology came back this week, stating that the sample sent in was "adrenal=
fat". She was confused by this terminology and said that she would be che=
cking with the lab for clarification.
We have never heard of adrenal fat, and as she found nothing else to cause =
adrenal symptons, is it possible that "fat" can trigger these hormonal chan=
ges?
We are soon to be faced with a decision as to whether we will continue Lupr=
on shots, any comments? We would like to know how long we should wait to s=
ee the effects of surgery.
Nigel & Bonnie
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