This was written unclearly:
>the ferret is not one of the rare ones who have to adjust afterward
>to having the Vena Cava ligated

You'll have run into mention of the rare times that is needed in the
resources already given, but some people perhaps can use explanation.

On very rare occasion a right adrenal tumor will so badly compromise
the Vena Cava (the body's largest vein -- a major vessel for returning
blood toward the heart in circulation) that the vet may see if there
is sufficient circulation using other blood vessels to close off the
Cava. For many ferrets there is not and then the ferret has to take
its chances with a compromised Cava. For some there may be and then if
the surgery is tried it is riskier than the standard adrenal surgeries
(even other right side adrenal surgeries) and ferrets who have to cope
without the Cava do tend to be somewhat suppressed afterward.

Anyway, most adrenal surgeries turn out fine with no lasting negative
effect on the ferret, but there are essential things like careful post-
op care at home. If those things don't exist then a ferret can even be
lost. A sad number make it fine through surgery but then are allowed to
be active too soon, allowed to climb, not provided with enough food and
water, force-fed instead of finger fed (which if done wrong can cause
aspiration pneumonia), etc. so people really should learn about post-op
care.

There is a lot more in the archives and other refs in my signature
lines.

BTW, although I did not mention it it also pays to only use gas
anesthesia for ferrets. It can be stopped immediately if there is
need unlike injectables which must be processed out of the body so if
something goes wrong in relation to them often nothing can be done.
Having the vet hospital keep the ferret safely warm enough after
surgery is also among the essentials.

Anyway, my point was that I don't know why you read that ferrets who
have adrenal surgery don't do well afterward because they usually do
just fine with proper and careful care.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

[Posted in FML 6419]