From:
" "
Date: 2003-10-01 16:44:35 UTC
Subject: Re: adrenal (Garfunkle)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <4120031031164435630@earthlink.net>
The ferret in question is named Garfunkle (he came to me with a "brother"
named Simon...). His first exploratory for right adrenal problems was in
the middle of June, when he was ear sucking. At that time, the gland
looked and felt ok and we opted to wait and see. I went out of town for 6
weeks in July/Aug and when I came back, he had lost half his hair coat. We
opened him up again 3 weeks ago to find the gland still of normal size and
consistency (not hard, not discolored), so we closed him up again. So my
question is, in a case like this, does one blindly remove an *apparently* normal
right adrenal (since the left is already gone), or does one assume it is the
ectopic tissue causing a problem? In all the ferrets that I've had opened
up for possible adrenal, they've all showed an obviously diseased organ,
I've never run into this situation before. His other symptoms include
excessive urination, territory marking, muscle loss, fat deposits in the
abdominal area (pot belly), dry itchy skin, almost totally bald now. He
had his first Lupron shot the other day while waiting to see what should be done
for him. His cage-mate, Simon, also was showing signs of adrenal and had
surgery in June and again in Aug because he was bilateral and my vet sort of
panicked and didn't want to remove both at the same time. By the time he
went in to remove the right, either it had spread or another tumor had formed
just medial to the vena cava -- I told him to take it out the first time!
:o) Eventually he will listen to me. Anyway, he is apparently one of
those ferrets who needs no supplementation as he is doing so much better since
having the second one out, *however*, I know how dangerous an Addisonian crisis
can be (I'm an emergency animal tech) and watch him constantly for any
signs. Taz also had his adrenal out in June -- a right gland, left ok, so
I've had my run of three for a while...hopefully.
But, again, my question is: in a case like this, does one blindly remove an
*apparently* normal right adrenal (since the left is already gone), or does one
assume it is the ectopic tissue causing a problem?
Sandy
--- mustylid@earthlink.net