From:
caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com
Date: 2009-02-24 18:25:50 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] (unknown)
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi, Aaron, and everyone else,
The type of hair loss you describe in a one year old ferret is most
likely adrenal disease. The good news is that it is generally cureable.
The bad news is that the only cure is surgery. Make sure you take your
little one to a skilled ferret vet who has a lot of experience with
adrenal surgeries.
About 80% of the time the left adrenal gland is the one with the tumor
and that, for a skilled ferret vet, is a relatively easy surgery. The
right adrenal gland is attached to the vena cava, the main vein from the
heart. This is a very difficult surgery and not all vets, even ones who
see ferrets regularly, are comfortable doing it. Some have a very high
success rate with right adrenal surgeries and others just don't. Check
with other ferret owners in your area and by all means ask the vet how
they feel about doing the surgery if it turns out to be a right. Most
will be honest with you.
If it turns out to be both (and yes, that does happen sometimes) you are
going to be dealing with a difficult recovery and lifelong medication
but, again, with the right vet your little boy can have many healthy
years ahead of him.
Bottom line: it's time to find the right vet and make an appointment
for a check-up. Remember, I'm not a vet and I haven't seen your ferret.
It could be something else other than adrenal. That's just the most
likely possibility and probably the most common major illness for
younger ferrets.
Ella, my seven year old, had her left adrenal gland out more than four
years ago. She's still here, happy and healthy, with no major health
issues at all since then. I've had ferrets go through a total of 12
adrenal surgeries in 10 ferrets over the past 11 years, nine left and
three right. All surgeries were successful. The only ferret who didn't
do well, Ryo-Ohki, was one of those very rare cases where adrenal
carcinoma metastasized. It certainly wasn't the fault of the surgery or
the vet.
Good luck,
Caity and the terrific trio
(Ella, Zephyr, and Chin Soon)
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