From:
whiteweasel@earthlink.net
Date: 2003-09-29 20:42:11 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] adrenal
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <29534197.1064868136740.JavaMail.root@gonzo.psp.pas.earthlink.net>
Hi, Sandy, and everyone else,
> Also, when a ferret has had a left adrenalectomy already and is
> showing signs of being adrenal (excessive urination, territory
> marking, balding, pot belly, etc) but the right looks and feels ok,
> do you remove the right anyway, or do you assume it is the ectopic
> tissue that is being affected?
How do you know it "looks" OK? Was an exploratory surgery done?
Without that you just don't know. It *probably* is the right gland if
the left was fully removed. Only your vet can tell for sure and only once
he's opning your little guy up.
Our vet, with clear symptoms, would do surgery and look at the gland
directly. In the two cases where what you describe has happened,
once with a male and once with a female, he took the second gland
which was clearly diseased.
Lupron will relieve the symptoms of the disease. It will not stop the
tumor from growing. In both cases where we had a recurrence the
pathology showed a carcinoma. In your situation I wouldn't wait if
your vet feels surgery is in order. We still wonder if we waited too
long with Ryo-Ohki, and if that is why the carcinoma had a chance
to metastasize (spread) and kill her a few months after the second
surgery.
The good news: Pertwee had his second adrenal gland out on June 2,
2000. He's still here and is still my wildest and craziest weasel.
All the best,
Caity and the non-stop nine