To Linda Doran:
 
> I have a question about Espie. She's a bit lethargic lately...
> Would you recommend I do the $75 blood test for adrenal disease?
 
    Without any more specific signs of adrenal disease, I don't think that
the adrenal test is the first choice for diagnostics.  Many ferrets as they
get older tend to bell out a bit, and there may be some thinning of the
hair.
 
    A good physical exam, to include an evaluation of the size of the spleen
should proceed any bloodwork.  BTW, we generally quickly anesthetize our
ferrets with gas (even the sick ones) when we take blood - it's less
stressful for them than being bled while awake, and really doesn't pose a
major problem....
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
Dept. of Vet Path, AFIP
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Chief Pathologist, AccuPath
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[Posted in FML issue 1301]