From:
"k. dow"
Date: 2008-08-15 16:42:33 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: swollen vagina
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
> 2a. Re: swollen vagina
> Posted by: "iluvmefuzzies5" iluvmefuzzies5@yahoo.com iluvmefuzzies5
> ITS SO WIERD LOOKING....
Does it looks kind of doughnut-like?
A swollen vulva is a hallmark signal of adrenal disease in a female
ferret. There are a couple other things which can cause this symptom,
but they are fairly rare. Adrenal disease, on the other hand, is
extremely common, especially in farm-bred U.S. ferrets (most of which
come from Marshall Farms). In females, the vulva often swells -- in
males, the prostate can become enlarged (this is not visible), causing
difficulty urinating and even a fatal urinary blockage. Straining to
urinate is an *emergency* and common in male adrenal ferrets but also
happens occasionally in females.
Other signs include hair loss in a symmetrical pattern, or thinning of
the undercoat, usually atop the rump but often at the shoulders or
even on top of the head as well, coarse fur, excessive itching,
aggression toward other ferrets (mating behavior), and less often,
aggression toward people.
It is important to note that any *one* of these signs can indicate
adrenal, even in the complete absence of the others. I had a female
ferret whose vulva would get only slightly swollen (not the doughnut
appearance which is typical), then go back to normal. Finally we went
ahead and did an exploratory, and sure enough, she was adrenal. After
removal of her left adrenal glad, she blew her coat dramatically,
though it quickly grew back. But before surgery, she had a full, soft
coat.
A blood test can be done to diagnose adrenal disease; however, it is
expensive, and in a ferret who seems to be adrenal and is fairly young
and healthy, going ahead with an exploratory surgery is often the best
course of action.
As for your male, if the hair loss was just on the tail itself and not
the rump, that could have been caused by an uneven seasonal coat
change. Keep an eye on him, but get her to the vet.
-Kat
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