>...His hairloss is not symmetrical, so it doesn't look like the hairloss
>associated with adrenal tumors, unless it's adrenal problems with an
>unassociated skin problem.  The skin, where the hair is gone, is dry and
>somewhat flakey, with a bit of scabbing....
>
>Jerry has been having some trouble using the bathroom, but his hit rate on
>the litter box is up to almost 95%.:0) !!!   He has also been acting more
>agressively towards Stimy lately, with the biting and the rough play...
 
Dear Kim -
 
I would suggest not discounting adrenal disease in this case, based on the
information that you provide below.  Hair loss is not always symmetrical
with adrenal disease, and can occasionally be what may be termed as
random - it only becomes symmetrical when it has progressed far enough
that the patches meld.
 
There are two other signs which you describe that may be symptoms of
adrenal disease in male ferrets - the fact that he is fighting with your
other ferret - ferrets with adrenal disease often return to intact
behavior, and aggression is a very common behavioral change in affected
ferrets.
 
The third symptom (which is the most tenuous here, as there is not a lot of
information here) is Jerry's "trouble using the bathroom".  Although you
don't state whether this is physical, or more of a location problem, a
percentage of male ferrets with adrenal disease will eventually developing
prostatic cysts, which make it very difficult for them to urinate.  They
will spend a fair amount of time trying to go, and in the end stages, they
can't at all.  This then rapidly becomes a life-threatening situation.
 
I have no doubt that what you describe are mast cell tumors are indeed,
those, but they are very likely incidental to the problem.  A skin biopsy
often yields little information as to the presence of adrenal disease, as
the thickness of the skin and the presence and stage of hair follicles,
which is affected by high levels of estrogen varies markedly between
different areas on the skin.
 
This case really strongly smacks of adrenal disease to me, although
admittedly, I am only going on your description.  And, if there is true
urinary dysfunction, I would urge either an exploratory, or at least the
specific adrenal panel available at the University of Tennessee to further
investigate this problem.
 
With kindest regards,
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
[Posted in FML issue 3183]