From:
Vicki Montgomery
Date: 2007-01-25 15:26:36 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Chance- Bilateral Adrenalectomy- Final Blood Values
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Joan;
I am so very sorry for your loss. This is never easy and practice does not make perfect. My best wishes for your heart to heal quickly.
As for the adrenalectomy - here's a bit of my understanding of one or both glands removed:
I suppose technically this could be called a bilateral situation, since he had both glands removed, albeit at different times. My point in saying that is that when I think of bi-lateral adrenalectomy I think of both glands being tumorous and removed during the same surgery.
And this does matter -- when which gland is taken.
If one gland is taken and the other remains in the body producing hormones just as always, then the animal's body has a chance to adjust to the new levels of adrenaline and hormone production by only the remaining gland. Usually that body does adjust; and so the steriod is often discontinued a few weeks after surgery.
If both glands are taken at the same time the body does not get to adjust - it's almost left in a state of chemical confusion - forever. Now rumor has it if even a few adrenal cells live on in the body that that body can eventually adjust to the loss of the glands themselves, but if all cells are removed at once, then it's drugs forever. (Also if any cells remain after both glands are taken, those cells can also become tumorous and a threat).
That is why when only one gland is removed a ferret is only on steriods for a short time, to help him/her overcome the surgery and gland loss. Addison's disease is not normally a worry for ferrets who have had only one gland removed and it's rarely a concern for ferrets who have had first one, then at some future time the other gland removed and who also has the benefit of steriodial stimulation, such as pred or, and I'm weak on the name of the other drug often used, ... fluoro?????.
I assume that you did not have a necropsy done on your baby boy and so it's too late to know for sure what took him, but I really do not suspect Addison's disease - the timing is a bit too quick and of course I'm making an assumption here - that you did put him on pred...
Being a layman and backseat driving here I suspect the ligation caused the problem. I hope I'm wrong, but to me it makes the most sense from what you said. Anytime a life is lost and the reason for that loss is not conspicuously known and IF one wants to know WHY the life was lost an autopsy or necropsy must be done.. and as has been said many times, the sooner the better.
Again Best Wishes for your heart and with all your other loves...
Vicki
He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart. And in our own despair, and against our will, comes Wisdom by the awful Grace of God...Aeschylus
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