Dear Sandy:
 
>Monday he had his adrenalectomy and found a hydrnephrotic left kidney.
>The adrenal tumor was on the left and not very large, was not compromising
>a ureter physically.  In the books that I have, it says that the only
>known reason for a hydronephrotic kidney in a ferret is due to ligation
>of the ureter during an OVH.  Since this is a male ferret, and has never
>been spayed, what are some other causes of this problem?
 
A botched spay is a cause of hydronephrosis, but certainly not the only one
and probably not the most common one.  The most common cause is actually
a kidney infection.  Most of these infections ascend from the bladder, up
the urethra, to the kidney.  The debris caused by the inflammation in the
kidney and the ureter, it it is severe enough, can block the ureter, and
the urine, now with no outflow, can't go anywhere.  The pressure builds
up in the kidney, and the kidney tissue undergoes pressure atrophy.  Over
time, the kidney will enlarge, the renal tissue will disappear, and you
end up with a greatly distended renal capsule with little to no
functional renal tissue remaining.  Renal tumors, such as transitional
cell carcinomas, have also caused hydronephrosis, as the tumor blocks the
ureter or the part of the ureter where it dumps the urine in the bladder.
Luckily, these tumors are rare.
 
>Apparently the other idney is compensating pretty good as his blood work
>came back in normal parameters.
 
As long as the other kidney is normal he will do fine.  Remember, you have
to have about 75% of kidney loss (1.5 kidneys) before bloodwork starts to
show that anything is wrong.  Half a kidney goes a long way!
 
>He has enlarged neck lymph nodes, am waiting to see if they go down now
>that his adrenal is out.  He also shows ataxia in the hind limbs and
>defecates wherever he is and whatever he is doing.  I do not think he is
>hypoglycemic--been there plenty of times, but could be wrong.  I am hoping
>the defecation bit is due to lack of potty manners, not something worse.
 
Adrenal disease should have no impact on the neck lymph nodes - they don't
drain the abdomen.  First check the oral cavity - that's what drains to the
neck lymph nodes - if there is an infection in the mouth, it could account
for the lymphadenomegaly.  If negative, then I would suggest an aspirate
to rule out lymphoma, and finally a biopsy to get the ultimate diagnosis.
Remember we never diagnose lymphoma without a biopsy!
 
Finaly the hindlimb ataxia - may be related to anything or all thing.
A very common non-specific finding in ferrets of little diagnostic
significance.  Treat what you can and see if it goes away.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
[Posted in FML issue 3225]