To anyone who might be interested -
 
        Over the last two days I have seen several letters concerning weight
gains and losses and several calls for my two cents on this issue.  So I shall
put my experience out for public view....
 
        Weight gain, in the majority majority of cases does not signify a
problem.  I do not recognize it as a symptom of "Cushings" (in fact ferrets do
not get Cushing's at all, but the adrenal disease that we see in ferrets is
related to estrogen release, not cortisone release as we see in other species
with Cushings disease.  Two separate diseases ENTIRELY).  But back to the
subject -   documented weight gain (with a scale, not by eyeballing the ferret)
is generaly simply either the result of entering the time of the year in which
mating would not normally take place (even castrated males will bulk back up
during this time of the year), or an increase in food intake with corresponding
decrease in exercise.  An increase in size with weight LOSS can mean trouble,
however, and may be due to fluid in the abdomen, or the presence of a
tumor(although it'd have to be pretty big.)  Also, you may see an increase in
abdominal size in association with overall weight loss due to splenic
enlargement.
 
        Weight LOSS, on its own, is far more of a problem.  Now males (even
castrated ones) will often undergo a seasonal weight loss during the normal
breeding season.  Their activity level increases and appetite decreases.  This,
when furo was wild) helped to keep them on the prowl. When there are no females
left to breed at the end of the season, they will cycle out of this state and
generally put on some weight, in preparation for the cycle occuring again in 4-6
months.  This is not the case with all castrated males, but is the rule in
breeding males.
 
        But if there is progressive weight loss, or weight loss in the presence
of any other symptoms of disease, then the vet should be contacted.
 
        Bruce Williams, DVM                  Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 782-2600/2602                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
[Posted in FML issue 0988]