To Andrea concerning Frito:
 
        >His skin is visible through his fur on his stomach and legs.  This
>isn't patchy bald spots, and his behavior is normal (although never quite as
>energetic as Benny and Joon).  Could this be adrenal
>or thyroid?  Or just &*&%$ MArshall Farms genetic screwup?  (Frito was
>abandoned by someone who adopted him from there.)
 
>Also, how do you check for cardiomyopathy?  Ultrasound? And what are the
>symptoms?
 
        Andrea, this could possible be adrenal-related, however, you say it has
been this way all of his life.  Coats vary between individuals as does
everything else.  I have never seen a thyroid lesion in ferrets - I know that
some are treated for thyroid, but since I've never seen a case of thyroid
disease, I wonder if this is necessary or indicated in these cases...
 
        Cardiomyopathy is a relatively common problem in older ferrets.  In some
cases, all you will see is slight lethargy and exercise intolerance.  As the
disease progresses, there will be fluid builup in the abdomen and chest, marked
lethargy, and ultimately coughing and difficulty breathing.  The disease is
first diagnosed genreally by a combination of clinical signs and survey X-rays
of the chest and thorax, and then ultrasound can confirm the diagnosis.
        It is treatable in the early stages, but there is no cure, as the
disease is irreversible and usually progressive.  In the late stages, treatment
(usually with diuretics and digitalis) is not very beneficial, as the disease
generaly progresses at a rapid rate.
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 576-2453/2454                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
 
 
[Posted in FML issue 0798]