From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2011-03-03 04:20:38 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Iatrogenic Cushing's
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi Bonnie, Meryl, and everyone
Looks like there is still confusion, and I hope I did not add to it.
Let me clear up the confusion about adrenal disease and possible
Iatrogenic Cushings disease.
First a little definition time.
Iatrogenic means to inadvertently cause a disease. In other words
side effects or adverse effects from a treatment or medication. In
real simple terms, the medicine causes a problem.
Cushings syndrome is an illness from chronic exposure to cortisol. It is an
illness seen in people, dogs and rarely in cats (not ferrets). In DOGS
signs
include drinking more and urinating more, an enlarged abdomen (potbelly),
hair loss, muscle weakness, obesity, panting, an enlarged liver, increased
bruisability, and reproduction problems. Again that was signs for DOGS.
Now lets combine the 2 words. Iatrogenic Cushings means having side effects
from a medication (in this case pred) that is similar to Cushings syndrome.
Why does pred cause side effects similar to cortisol? Because pred is
similar
to cortisol. The side effects of long term use of pred in ferrets can
include a
pot belly (pred belly), a thin hair coat, drinking more/urinating more and
diabetes.
This is NOT the same thing as adrenal gland disease in ferrets. Pred does
NOT
cause adrenal enlargement or adrenal tumors. Adrenal gland disease in
ferrets
is from the adrenal glands over producing the sex hormones and androgens
(estrogen, andro, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and DHEA) and not from cortisol.
Thus the common problem in ferrets is very different from Cushings in dogs.
Signs of adrenal gland disease in ferrets include hair loss and alopecia,
itchy
skin, increased musky odor, swollen vulva in females, enlarged prostates in
males, mammary gland enlargement, enlarged adrenal glands, anemia, return
of sexual behavior, aggressive behavior, and loss of muscles.
The only sign from long term pred use that is similar to adrenal gland
disease
is the thinning of the hair coat. Pred does not cause the adrenal gland to
enlarge
or adrenal tumors. Pred does not cause the vulva to enlarge or the prostate
to enlarge. Pred does not cause the return of sexual behavior or aggressive
behavior. Pred does not cause an increase in musky odor, etc. Most vets
(that see ferrets)
can tell the difference between the very common adrenal gland disease and
the side effects from long term pred use.
If they are not sure what is causing the hair loss, then a Tennessee panel
can be done to check the levels of the sex hormones and adrenal androgens.
Hope that clear things up,
Jerry Murray, DVM
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