From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2006-11-09 17:11:58 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Rash under skin.
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "DebraJean" <debifuzzyloving@...> wrot=
e:
>
> What about Lymphoma of the skin?
The under skin appearance combined with extreme anemia and a history of adr=
enal
disease are more consistent with adrenal tissue regrowth, I think.
Even when both adrenals have come out so completely that Percorten or Fludr=
ocort/
Florinef with a steroid like Prednisolone are needed to accomplish normal a=
drenal
functions like electrolyte balance and amounts, and hydration -- even then =
-- a very few
ferrets sometimes wind up regrowing enough of the hormone generating tissue=
to cause
problems.
We have one male we watch in that regard.=20
He actually lost his adrenals for a very unusual reason. He is prone to de=
veloping cystine
stones (Two of our ferrets have this not common but not terribly unusual ei=
ther problem,
but so far do not re-form the stones as long as we keep their protein intak=
e below 35%.)
and he also had a malformation of the bladder where the fetal tube from the=
bladder did
not close off smoothly and go away, so he had a pouch. He could not pass u=
rine and
developed hydronephrosis. While our vet was removing the pouch and as much=
as he
could get of the stone grit he noticed that the swollen kidneys had out so =
much pressure
against Hilbert's adrenals that even though he was young and the adrenals t=
urned out to
be otherwise healthy, they were so swollen that leaving them in could itsel=
f lead to more
trouble. Unfortunately, he began to bleed too much and a little adrenal ti=
ssue wound up
trapped in the needed vascular clamp.
He definitely has needed the steroidal replacement meds.
Still, when he developed an allergy which caused fur loss and a horrible se=
condary
bacterial skin infection we not only tested but we treated like there could=
be adrenal tissue
regrowth to be safest.
He is starting to lose some fur again but this time without the infection t=
hat accompanied
the last loss. His follicles may simply have been too damaged during the a=
wful allergy and
infection bout, or he may be developing a new allergy, but since he might b=
e regrowing
some hormone producing adrenal tissue we will be getting a TN Panel (becaus=
e if it is
regrowing we want to know if we should jump fast adding Propecia/proscar) a=
nd he will be
getting a melatonin implant AND the heavier hitting Lupron Depot shot becau=
se those two
work so well together so that they are on-board while we wait for the TN Pa=
nel results.
Meanwhile, we watch for further signs of a possible new allergy.
Adrenal growths can have some bad results when they return (*****which they=
sometimes
do quietly enough to be hard to spot*****) or if they are not treated. Ane=
mia and prostate
problems are only two. That is why some vets prefer using the one month Lu=
pron Depots
(Make sure that it IS Lupron Depot rather than the daily Lupron being given=
once a month
and see the info at
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
to learn why.) instead of longer acting versions so that they can monitor m=
ore closely.