To Jenn and Marti -
 
        Jenn - if Marti is 6 years old, and eats well - does not have any other
signs of disease, then I wouldn't be terrrily concerned.  I have a similar
ferret who has had an insulinoma and one adrenal removed - she doesn't have a
tremendous amount of muscle - but she eats, and runs around (oh, forgot to
mention that she's blind), and seems to enjoy life.  But you can feel all of
her bones, too.
 
        Remember, female ferrets (especially older ones) don't have the muscles
that the male ones do.  And i they have had a severe illness which has caused
them to lose muscle mass, it has been my experience that the older ones never
really gain it back.  But they can have happy, full lives nonetheless.
 
--
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP              Department of Veterinary Pathology
[log in to unmask]               Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]             Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
(202) 782-2600/2602
[Posted in FML issue 1176]