From:
Ferrethealer@aol.com
Date: 2004-05-19 19:38:06 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Digest 19 May 2004 15:25:18 -0000 Issue 677
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <21.3e89ce8c.2ddd119e@aol.com>
In a message dated 05/19/04 11:26:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
ferrethealth-digest-help@smartgroups.com writes:
I have heard numerous times from veterinarians that
the left adrenal is the affected gland in most cases,
and that if the vet is in doubt, to remove the left
gland.
First, I am sorry that your ferret had such a bad experience. That is not,
in my experience, typical at all.
I often see left-sided adrenal. I frequently see right-sided adrenal disease
as well. You cannot assume that *most* cases are the left - most, to me,
implies a much higher percentage than is actually the case. I would say that
about 40% of the cases I see are right-sided, and in that event, 40% of ferrets
would have had an unneccessary left adrenalectomy if we were to just remove it
without knowing which gland was the affected one. I cannot possibly justify
that - those ferrets would still have disease, would still have signs, and
would still need a second surgery, thereby making them Addisonian.
That's not good medicine, by anyone's standards.
Dr. Ruth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find it. Fix it. And fly again.