To Tarra -
Tarra - I missed FML 745 - and judging from what I have seen in 746 - it
seems that Peanut has a prblem with hair loss. Katie is right - it does sound
very suspicious of an adrenal-related problem. I know that you have had troble
with ferret vets in the past. For this you need one htat has experience with
ferret surgery.
It's not an emergency, but something that needs to be attended to very
soon. For your benefit, and for those that have missed it in the past, I will
repost a short article I wrote several months ago, so that you know what you are
dealing with.
To Heather concerning beer -
Not wanting to beat this one to death, but a lot of beer is not a great
addition to a ferret's diet. It gives only a lot of unneeded calories without
providing any other nutrients. Remember, half a glass is nothing to you , but
probably close to a couple of sixpacks for a ferret. Alcohol affects animals
the same way it does people - loss of control and judgment. Your ferret may be
prone to hurting itself much more easily than before.
To Michelle concerning white spots in the eye -
I have never seen one of these animals. What you are describing sounds
most like localized areas of absent pigmentation. The blue, brown and other
colors of eyes (people, not ferrets) are the result of the amount of pigment in
the iris. There are some breeds of dogs, such as Malamutes, Australian
shepherds, etc. that have htese localized areas with only a small amount of
pigment, giving them white patches or streaks in the iris. If there is a total
absence of pigment, then you get a pink iris, due to the appearance of the
blood vessels.
Most breeds with so-called "glass eyes" are some form of color diluted
or brindled animal. Since this is also a color diluted strain (black-eyed
white), I guess eventually you are bound to see some iris abnormalities.
The other possibilities are small depostis of fat in the iris or
cornea, or even a cataract, but that doesn't match exactly what you are
describing.
To Tarra, Katie Fritz, and anyone else:
Here is a slightly updated version of the adrenal article. It now
includes a reference by Dr. Neil Lipman, whi did na excellent review of
"adrenal-associated endocrinopathy" in ferrets in the Dec 1, 1993 issue of the
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (which everyone's vet
probably already subscribes to.)
The following article may be reprinted by anyone desiring to disseminate this
information in
a newsletter or non-commercial publication. This material may not be altered
or changed
in any way. Under Title 17 of the U.S. Code, Section 105, copyright protection
is not
available for any work of the United States Government.
Adrenal Disease in the Ferret
"My ferret is losing its hair."
While hair loss in the ferret can occur from many causes, I would like to
concentrate on what is the most common and what is becoming the most commonly
talked about reason for serious hair loss -- proliferative lesions of the
ferret adrenal gland.
Ferrets with adrenal lesions - including areas of hyperplasia as well as
both benign and malignant neoplasms of the adrenal cortex - typically all show
the same clinical signs regardless of which type of growth is present. These
signs are fairly diagnostic, and in the majority of cases, are so
characteristic that no other diagnostic tests are required before
therapy is instituted.
The signs of adrenal disease in the ferret are well documented (Fox et
al., 1987, Lawrence et al. 1993, Rosenthal et al., 1993, Lipman et al, 1993)
although the cause of these signs is still somewhat unclear. Adrenal lesions
may be seen in animals ranging from one to seven years of age, with the average
being around 3.5 years. In one study (Rosenthal, 1993), 70% of affected ferrets
were female. Hair loss, or alopecia, is by far the most common clinical
sign in affected ferrets. Hair loss often begins at the tail, and progresses
forward over the trunk, flanks, and abdomen, until hair is only present on the
neck, head, and the extremities. Additionally, in spayed females, the vulva
will often become swollen to the extent that the owner may erroneously believe
that the animal is estrus. A watery mucus discharge from the vulva may also be
seen in this animal. (Vulvar swelling in a spayed female on its own is
sufficient cause to warrant abdominal exploratory surgery). Other
clinical signs that may be seen in ferrets with adrenal lesions include
increased scratching, excessive drinking and urination, anemia, weight loss,
and in longstanding cases, difficulty in using the hind legs.
The cause of the hair loss and vulvar swelling is not currently known. In
other species with hyperadrenocorticism, high circulating levels of adrenal
corticosteroids cause the hair follicles to atrophy and the skin itself to
become thin, resulting in hair loss. But
since we know that these ferrets do not have these high levels of cortisone,
this explanation does not suffice for what we see clinically. A plausible
theory has been advanced by specialists at the Animal Medical Center in New
York City. (Rosenthal, 1993). Citing the
fact that 36% of affected ferrets have high blood levels of estrogen, the
believe that early neutering (most ferrets in the U.S. are neutered before six
weeks of age) cause a population of cells in the adrenal gland which have
retained the ability to secrete gonadal hormones to grow, in essence "filling
the void". High levels of estrogen are well known to also cause hair follicle
atrophy, and would also cause vulvar swelling in females, as is seen in estrus.
In fact, Dr. Rosenthal has demonstrated that serum estrogen levels are indeed
higher in ferrets with adrenal disease.
The treatment for adrenal disease in ferrets primarily involves removal of
the affected adrenal gland. In most cases, adrenalectomy is performed based
solely on clinical signs. Routine pre-surgical bloodwork should be performed
in all animals over 4 years of age, as would be done for any other type of
surgical procedure. Special diagnostic tests which are used in other species
to diagnose adrenal disease are rarely of use in the ferret. Specific testing
for estrogen levels in the ferrets is not commonly available, even at
diagnostic labs, and in most cases is not necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
In most cases, one gland is noticeably larger than the other and is
removed. For unknown reasons, the left adrenal gland accounts for the
majority of lesions (64%), with the right adrenal gland accounting for 26%, and
8% of ferrets having disease in both adrenals. Removal of one adrenal gland is
generally well tolerated in ferrets and in most of these cases, if disease is
confined to that gland, clinical signs will cease (i.e., the hair will grow
back and the swollen vulva will diminish to its previous size). In animals
with bilateral disease, removal of one gland and part of another has been done,
but carries a more significant risk of post-operative complications. Ferrets
require at least a portion of one adrenal gland to live.
The surgery itself is not excessively difficult. Removal of the left
adrenal is fairly easy and has a low risk of complication. Due to the position
of the right adrenal near several large blood vessels, it is a more difficult
surgery and requires considerably more expertise on the part of the surgeon. As
always, if your veterinarian has little expertise in performing this surgery,
it is wise to ask for a referral to a more experienced surgeon. In cases in
which surgical excision of the offending adrenal gland is not an option,
medical treatment with certain drugs that kill off a large portion of the cells
of the adrenal cortex may be tried. Unfortunately, this medication is not
specific for estrogen-secreting cells, and affect all of the other cortical
cells as well. For this reason, this form of treatment should be reserved only
for those animals who are poor surgical candidates.
Unfortunately, not all adrenal surgeries end happily. Postoperative
mortality averages from 10% (Tom Kawasaki, personal communication) to 12.5%
(Rosenthal, 1993). The cause of the post-surgical mortality is not known; most
theories center on the inability of the other, unaffected adrenal gland to
produce enough cortisol on short notice, i.e., the hyperfunctioning gland has
caused it to atrophy.
On a personal note - while some owners believe that hair loss is only
cosmetic and would "rather not put their pet through the stress of an
operation", let me categorically state that the changes seen in ferrets with
adrenal disease are cumulative and progressive. Animals with adrenal lesions do
not just lose their hair - they also lose muscle mass, and have little energy
While the lesions themselves are rarely life-threatening (in over one-hundred
twenty cases, I have only seen two cases of tumor metastasis), their clinical
manifestations are debilitating and greatly decrease the quality of a ferret's
life. (When I noticed the signs of adrenal disease in one of my ferrets who
was six at the time - I had the surgery done immediately. The hair has grown
back, the vulva has reattained its normal size, and she is more fit than ever.)
Adrenal disease in the ferret is common, and if detected by a watchful
owner or a knowing practitioner, can be easily treated.
Get those hairless ferrets checked, and have a festive ferret-filled
holiday season.
1. Fox J.G, et. al. Hyperadrenocorticism in a ferret. JAVMA, 191: 343, 1987.
2. Lawrence, H.J. et al. Unilateral adrenalectomy as a treatment for
adrenocortical tumors in ferrets: Five cases (1990-1992). JAVMA 203: 267-270,
1993.
3. Lipman, N.S. et al. Estradiol-17B-secreting adrenocortical tumor in a
ferret. JAVMA 203(11): 1552-1554, 1 Dec 1993.
4. Rosenthal, K.L. et al. Hyperadrenocorticism associated with adrenocortical
tumor or nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal gland in ferrets: 50 cases
(1987-1991). JAVMA 203: 271-275, 1993.
Bruce Williams, DVM
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[Posted in FML issue 0747]
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