Well, I am certainly happy to hear Darel got Sparky out of the wall!
Whew!  Another happy ending to a potentially tragic story.  I can
certainly identify with crying with happiness while snuggly a dirty,
stinky ferret!  Let's hope the maintenance people are more careful in the
future!
 
We've got good news and bad news at the Fritz-Lang ferret ranch.  The good
news is that Bandit's ultrasound was clear, and Dr. Jeglum has given the
go-ahead to wean him off Prednisone.  He's been getting half a 5mg tablet
a day for over a year, crushed up with Nutrical.  This week, he gets a
quarter tablet daily, then next week he gets a quarter tablet every other
day, and then we stop.  Bandit goes back for a checkup in seven weeks.
But the scrappy little guy is already growing back the fur where he was
shaved for the ultrasound (he's changing coats, which is speeding up the
process), and has gained a little weight already since we stopped the
chemo.  Dr. Jeglum says his fur should thicken up once he's off the Pred
-- it's a little thin underneath, and he has a ratty tail.  But, brother,
is he feisty!
 
When Jeff took him to see Dr. Jeglum this weekend, they had to wait quite
a while (busy day in the office), and Bandit, usually patient, started
scratching at the pet carrier, wanting out.  Once in the examining room,
when Jeff let the B-man out, as soon as he saw Dr. Jeglum, he ran back
into the carrier and wouldn't come out.  "That's right, Bandit," said Dr.
J.  "It's that nasty Dr. Jeglum who sticks you with needles all the time!"
 
The bad news is that Molly -- who's had an enlarged vulva for several
weeks -- had an ultrasound Monday night, and she's got an adrenal tumor on
the right gland.  She is scheduled for surgery next Monday night.  The
surgeon will be Dr. Robert Orsher at Neshaminy (PA) Animal Hospital, who
comes recommended by Dr. Curtis Schelling, who did the ultrasound (Dr.
Schelling was recommended by both Dr. Jeglum and our regular vet, Dr.
Robert Harris).  Jeff talked to Orsher, who told him that though the right
gland is more difficult, he doesn't anticipate problems, though there's no
guarantee.  This guy apparently is quite experienced with ferret surgery,
in case others may be interested.  We'll let you know how things turn out.
 
Orsher told Jeff the same thing that we've been told so many times on the
FML -- that most adrenal tumors in females are thought to be caused by
spaying at too early an age.  But -- and this was new information to me --
he went on to give an explanation for that theory.
 
Orsher says that the adrenal gland also produces some estrogen, and if a
spayed ferret still in the growth stage still needs some estrogen, which
must therefore come from the adrenal gland.  Apparently overwork of the
adrenal gland in producing estrogen is what leads to tumors.  Orsher told
Jeff that these tumors are almost always benign, however; he's apparently
only seen one malignant case.
 
Molly is a Path Valley ferret, by the way.  She's 4 years old; we got her
as a 10-week-old convenience kit from a local pet store.  She was the last
of her litter to go, being pretty hyper and not very cuddly.  She's still
pretty much that way, though she's the most kissy of all our ferrets.
Funny, she will lick your nose for as long as you let her, but she hates
being snuggled.  When she got home last night, she was so happy, she
wouldn't stop moving -- she ran around the house for at least half an
hour, checking to make sure everything was where she left it, and wanted
no petting or being made much of.  She's always been "daddy's girl," and
Jeff has been pretty distressed about this.
 
I should add that the enlarged vulva has been Molly's only symptom -- no
hair loss, no weight loss, no change in behavior or appetite.  Orsher told
Jeff that we caught it pretty early, and that most people don't notice
this until more symptoms (such as hair loss) develop.  Jeff didn't tell
him that we've been sensitized to our ferrets' condition and behavior
since Bandit developed lympho!
 
> For those of you uninterested in the medical question skip to
> the second paragraph for the cute story--I have just noticed that
> our young female (Buttercup, about 1 1/3 yrs) has a swollen vulva.
> Yes, she is a Marshall Farms convenience kit, but she is showing
> no signs of illness at all.  She is her usual troublesome and fun
> self.  My question is, should I let it go for now and watch for any
> signs of illness, or is this something that needs attention.  I
> assume it is another botched spay but I am unclear on what I should
> do.
 
Given what we're going through with Molly, I would say to get Buttercup to
a vet to check for the possibility of an adrenal tumor!  Since you're
anonymous and presumably in a Ferret-Free Zone, I don't know if this will
be a problem for you -- I hope not!  As you mention, it *might* be because
of a botched spay, in which case, HGC treatment may be indicated.  Our vet
consulted with Dr. Thomas Kawasaki about Molly, who told him that almost
every such case *he* sees is an adrenal tumor, however.  On the plus side,
a good radiologist can diagnose an adrenal tumor with ultrasound, so you
don't have to put her through surgery unnecessarily (if it turns out not
to be adrenal-related).
 
> From: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hi all,
>
>   PHEW!  I just finished reading all of the archived messages of the FML,
> and now I'm ready to subscribe.
 
Kirk, I know what you mean!  I found the FML a little more than a year
ago, and OD'd on reading back issues of the FML before posting my first
message.  It's amazing the knowledge that's out there, considering how
much misinformation is running around still (e.g. your father -- I hope
you set him straight!).
 
I can't help much with the guinea pigs, except to say that if you keep
them caged while the ferrets are out, and vice versa, there shouldn't be a
problem, as long as the g.p. cage is not easily accessible by the ferrets
(bars narrow enough that the ferrets can't reach the pigs).
 
If you're in northern Virginia, you're close to a ferret hotbed!  The
American Ferret Association is headquartered in Frederick, MD.  Also, are
you close to Loudon?  If so, you should contact the Loudon Area Ferret
Fanciers.  There are others down there, as well.  There's several people
on this list in Virginia.  I'm sure you'll hear from them shortly!
 
> I saw a silver mitt the other day and thought she
> was just adorable... I am wondering if the breeding it takes to get these
> marks makes much of a difference in the ferrets personality for better or
> for worse.  I am also wondering how Cleo will adapt to sharing space with
> another ferret-- is this even a good idea when she has been raised as an
> only-ferret?
 
Amy, we have one silver mitt -- Charlie -- and while he is developing
cataracts at age 3, he is as lovey a ferret as any I've seen.  His
personality is a little on the "insecure" side, and he goes through bouts
where he demands lots and lots of cuddling.  As far as Cleo adapting to
another ferret, there will likely be a lot of noise and hissing and
fighting, but it shouldn't take long before a pecking order is
established.  If you get a kit, Cleo will no doubt end up as the alpha
ferret, since she will know all the wrestling holds and will have a weight
advantage!
 
Well, that's it for now from this quarter!
 
Katie, Jeff, Bandit, Molly, Charlie, Pogo & Sigmund
---------------------
Katie Fritz
Small Mammals Section Leader/CompuServe Pets Forum
Internet: [log in to unmask]  CIS: 71257,3153
 
[Posted in FML issue 0471]