I've been away so I'm lagging the threads a tad.  Sorry.
 
Raisins are restricted because they are little else than fiber and sugars.
For a ferret, this is junk food.  Just as we may like potato chips, can't
make them a large part of the diet and remain healthy.  The sticky goo may
promote tooth plaque and decay (right, Anne?).  Also, a raisin takes up
space in the gut that good food might occupy.  Thus, your ferret may feel
full from too many treats and not eat proper food.  Bottom line is that they
are a treat, but offer little more than a taste benefit.  In moderation
only.
 
**********
I've seen a number of posts relating to adrenal or suspected adrenal disease
and cases where surgery was not practical.  I have a possible option.
(Caveats - I'm not a vet.  Surgery is the best form of treatment for this
problem.) Thanks to an FML mention by Dave Leung, we heard of Ovaban use in
medical treatment of adrenal disease.  We have since spoken with the good
people at Ferretwise Shelter in NH and found they use this same treatment.
In our case, our ferret went in for a 2nd operation, but the tumor was
around the vena cava and removal was too risky.  At the time he was bald and
a real mountie.  Not a pleasure to have around or look at.
 
We mentioned the use of Ovaban to our vet, and after some consultation, she
agreed to try it.  Ovaban (megestrol acetate) is a hormone that offsets the
excess estrogen effects (in theory, at least).   She made a suspension out
of the pills and we gave 2 mg each day for 4 days and 1 mg every 4 days
since then to maintain him.  In about 2 days the mounting and other abnormal
behaviors stopped while his energy level and appetite returned.  At about 3
weeks we saw all sorts of fur sprouting.  This treats symptoms only, I
suspect, and may not affect tumor growth (only an future autopsy will answer
this for our case).   For us, the symptoms of the adrenal tumor are gone
even though he has a large one in him (over 6 months and counting).   There
is a potential side effect of bone marrow damage and resulting blood
problems, but so far so good.  It is the lesser risk compared to the certain
adrenal effects.  The quality of life for our ferret is now like it was
before and that is what is important for us, and maybe for the others who
have resigned themselves to that adrenal decline.
 
Those of you who can't have adrenal surgery, I offer this as an option that
has worked for us and others.  Consult your vet.  Also, I wonder about it's
use as a diagnostic aid.  It showed results in less than a month (turn
around time for the U Tenn.  screen) and costs far less than $100 (by an
order of magnitude).  Basically, if a ferret has symptoms of adrenal disease
and responds to antagonistic hormone treatment, it would seem to confirm the
cause (and the need for surgery).  In my work, an answer is an answer, but I
don't know if these results would be definitive enough or ethically
compliant with medical needs.  It also allows the ferret to normalize
physically and maybe tolerate surgery better.
 
   ( )--(a)
   (@=@=) \     Till next time.......Rudy the ferlosopher
   O__)  \ \___
      \   \
      /\ * )  \
[Posted in FML issue 1362]