From:
"ayelet_erlich"
Date: 2010-02-17 08:52:44 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Sudden rage attacks
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
some answers to all of your questions...
Venus was diagnosed with Adrenal Disease by an ultrasound expert. One of the best, if not the best, in Israel. The right adrenal was enlarged. The left one was normal.
After a few months we did a re-check, and the adrenals were ok.
What we did is give her Lupron for 6 months, a shot every month (I don't remember the amount).
One of the best veterinarians in Israel treated her. He learned exotic pet veterinarian in Britain.
He did not recommend surgery because he believes that Adrenal Disease is mostly cosmetic (hair loss etc).
If it doesn't interrupt with the ferret daily activities and the ferret is doing ok in general, then there is no reason to go into surgery.
BTW, Venus didn't have ANY of the symptoms for Adrenal Disease.
The only reason we did the ultrasound in the first place is because she lost a lot of weight in a short time (from 680 grams to 545 grams, very slim).
After the 3rd Lupron shot she started gaining weight and for the past year she has been stable with 630 grams.
I never heard of the implants some of you talked about. And I don't know if we have it in Israel. To be honest, I don't want to butter Venus with medical stuff. And I don't have a lot of money, even if I would've wanted to (I have 4 dogs and 3 cats and I'm only 22, living on my own with my g-friend).
BTW, It's not only rage with Venus, she is VERY hyper. VERY.
More than ever. It's like she is returning to puppyish behavior.
You don't have any ideas except adrenal treatment?
[On the second ultrasound a mass was seen in the liver,
right, after the right adrenal looked large on the first
ultrasound but small on the second?
You could always see if the behavior changes after
a week or two of another dose of Lupron, or of higher
Lupron levels.
Adrenal disease in ferrets can cause a range of problems:
marrow suppression which can be fatal, prostate enlargement
in males which can be fatal, fur loss, behavioral changes,
fat redistribution (sometimes to bad places but usually more
into a pear shape), enlargement of the vulva which can
lead to infections, muscle loss, and even bone loss is seen
with it perhaps because the FSH levels tend to be increased
by the same mechanisms that increase LH levels. High LH
levels are what begin adrenal disease in ferrets, which is
far worse than cosmetic.
See this post by one of the world's top ferret veterinary
pathologists to learn a bit more:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG5054
and I am sure people will point you to more veterinary
references.
Yes, it may be just behavioral and then I am sure people
here will write to you with suggestions. No one is using
physical punishment on her, right? that will worsen
aggression as well as posing its own health issues.
Also, anything which is causing enough pain can sometimes
cause kit like behavior with the type of kit like behavior
depending on the individual.
-- Moderator]
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