From:
Lauren Austin
Date: 2007-01-05 20:46:52 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] ferret with large spleen
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi,
Recently one of my ferrets started having a problem going to the bathroom. I figured that it was related to the fact that he has adrenal disease. I took him to the vets to be checked and he couldn't find anything. So we did an xray that showed a shadow in his abdomen.
Knowing that it was probably lymphoma we decided that exploratory surgery was in order. I said my good byes because I knew that if it was lymphoma I was going to let him go without waking him up. Much to our surprise there was nothing there except for a spleen the size of a small dogs spleen, 4 inches by 1 1/2 inches.
This ferret had been treated with lupron and melatonin implants for at least a year and a half. He was so aggressive that he was caged alone and had supervised play only with his old cage mate. He had started losing the hair on the back of his shoulders and neck and started to lose weight.
Now 2 months post surgery he has grown back his fur and it is black again. He is in a cage with 5 other ferrets and he has gained back the weight he lost. During the surgery my vet carefully examined all of his organs to look for tumors or whatever else might be in there. Not only did he not find an adrenal tumor, but he couldn't find the adrenal glands at all.
I am assuming that if there was an adrenal tumor that was at least 1 1/2 years old it should have been plainly visible even if the glands themselves were hidden in fat.
My question is, can a huge spleen that is pushing on everything in the abdominal cavity cause symptoms of adrenal disease?
I am going to continue with the lupron anyway, because I don't want to take a chance, but to me this is a very weird thing.
Thanks for your time.
Laurie Austin MA
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