From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2005-11-03 21:07:32 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Right after 2nd adrenal removal - How to proceed?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Hi, Alessandra, and everyone else.
>
> I would like to know how the ferret needs to be
> medicated right after the surgery to remove the 2nd
> adrenal gland. I believe that by being without any
> adrenal gland he/she should receive hormones at the
> vet´s office. Is this right? If so, what should be
> given, and for how much time?
Yes, its' right that a ferret who has had both adrenal
glands removed will need medication to replace the
adrenal products that are no longer being produced.
These are not hormones.
In my experience vets will give pediapred
(prednisolone) and fludrocortisone (florinef) to keep
the ferret's electrolytes in balance. Some vets do
use percotin (sp?) injections instead of
fludrocortisone. Our vets have not because it is
easier to adjust the medication dosage more quickly
with the shorter lasting oral medication. In rare
cases where a ferret is non-responsive to prednisone a
vet may substitute dexamethasone. We had to do this
for Pertwee.
How long? For the rest of the ferret's life.
>
> My concern is that I´ve seen several ferrets to
> suffer and die just a few days after having the
> second adrenal removed.
If no meds are given that is exactly what I'd expect.
The ferret would most likely go into an Addisonian
Crisis and die.
> Even the ones who do not die
> take weeks in suffering before recovering. Is it
> that common?
Our vet gives a standard dosage (adjusted by body
weight) of the two medications. If those dosages
aren't right the ferret will have symptoms of
surgically induced Addison's Disease and that is the
suffering you are seeing.
Is it common? Yes, but if the vet adjusts the
medications and gets electrolytes in balance the
ferret then recovers very quickly. For many ferrets
the standard dosages are correct or at least close
enough that they don't suffer at all.
> Is there a way to help them to get well
> soon and with less suffering? Otherwise it would be
> preferable not to operate the ones who had already
> had one adrenal gland removed.
If a vet knows how to treat a ferret after a second
adrenal surgery there should be a good chance of a
smooth recovery. Even if not it can be corrected
pretty quickly. It sounds like the situations you
have seen are ones in which the vets did not give
proper medication or did not adjust it quickly enough.
Let me put it this way: Pertwee had three and a half
excellent years of life after his second adrenal gland
came out. He was my most wired and most insane weasel
exactly as he was before. He got off to a terrible
start after surgery but once the vet gave him
dexamthasone he improved almost immediately. Once we
had his medication right Pertwee never had Addisonian
symptoms again. We did recheck electrolytes as part
of routine blood work (he had other issues) every few
months. We did increase his meds largely because he
had returned to a normal body weight and needed a bit
more than right after surgery, but even at that point
there weren't symptoms yet. We were preventing them
from coming back is all.
It is very likely that my Ella (originally a stray,
probably 3-4 years old) may need a second adrenal
surgery. I don't have any doubt that the best way to
treat her if her adrenal really has recurred is
surgery.
I am not a vet but I am a ferret owner who has dealt
with this.
All the best,
Caity
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