To Jason Creager -
 
        Jason - you have two options now, if you are convinced that it is an
adrenal tumor.  You can operate, or you can not operate.  If your ferret is not
a surgical risk, then he can live out the rest of his days (although they may be
shortened) with some less hair.  But if you can have the surgery done, it will
be a great benefit.  I have doen two of mine, one at 4 and one at 6 within the
last 18 months, and I ahve another 4-year old I need to do in the next couple of
weeks.
 
        If you don't do the surgery, you can expect addritional hair loss, some
weight loss, and lethargy.  The tumors generally aren't life threatening, except
in the case of very aggressive malignancies, but they will decrease quality of
life.
 
       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 1031]