Message Number: SG15124 | New FHL Archives Search
From: mjanke@miamiferret.org
Date: 2005-08-21 19:17:22 UTC
Subject: RE: Hair loss?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5754370.1124651842421.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

Author wrote:
> If she needs surgery for a adrenalectomy what is the costs (ball park figure) and how long will she be held up to heal.

It does sound like adrenal disease is a possibility. Hair loss from adrenal disease *usually* starts across the shoulders, down the spine or on the rump, right at the base of the tail.

Costs for surgery vary pretty widely depending on a lot of factors that are not necessarily related to what's wrong with the ferret. You can figure anwhere from $250-$1200. Not a very ballpark figure. I think a fair average is around $400.

We've brought ours home within hours of adrenal surgery. That will depend on how well they do in surgery, if the vet feels comfortable that you can provide the needed care, and how comfortable you feel that you can provide the care. Some will keep them overnight.

A young ferret such as yours will bounce back pretty quickly, but most are pretty miserable for a couple days. It is major surgery after all. Sutures will come out in about 10 days and by then, they'll be pretty much back to normal. Expect to see new hair growth begin as soon as two to three weeks, though sometimes it takes longer.

mike