Hi Y'all,
 
Well, technically it isn't all my adrenal surgeries, it is the ferrets.
But a few words anyway, since I have been reading the posts with interest.
 
On symptoms- While most of the common symptoms have been mentioned I want
to point out a couple more.  One of the most striking things I found with
adrenal cases is the body smell often increases, smelling much more like
an unaltered animal.  Usually this smell is centered around the ears.
 
Hair loss is not always present, or it is an all over thinning rather than
balding in any one spot.  Pookie had asymptomatic hair loss, she had body
balding and thinning that were asymmetrical Sadie had all over thinning
hair with a bald spot between her ears.  She looked like a monk.  Myrna had
no hair loss.
 
Skin is a good indicator of adrenal.  It becomes thin, itchy and can have
red marks.  Maisie, Conan and Pookie all looked like they had flea
allergies, but with no fleas.  They were very itchy, had small red marks
and generally, their skin was pink and irritated.  Sadie's and Pookie's
skin was very thin, it had the appearance of being dehydrated or looking
like an old person's skin.  This is from the thinning.
 
None of my kids experienced any aggression, but several felt really bad.
They acted depressed, slept more than normal.  Sadie became a lap child
where she wasn't before.  Conan also wanted more cuddling.  Pookie hid out,
as did Maisie.
 
Testing- I had the adrenal panels run on all the kids.  Each and every test
showed elevated levels of hormones.  The panels test four hormone levels.
In mine, the androgen levels were all elevated, as was the estrogen in the
girls.  The tests are pricey at around $75 U.S. but they might put your
mind at ease.  Quite honestly, I did the testing so that my vet could have
the experience.
 
Surgeries- OK, here is the hard part.  How do you pick a vet for the
procedures?  I like my vet and have great trust in her.  However, she had
never preformed an adrenal surgery, only assisted at school.  I did get a
second opinion on Pookie, at one point, with another vet in town who I know
had done surgeries for someone on the list.  Frankly, I didn't like him as
much as my vet.  Just personality I guess.  My gut instinct told me to use
my vet, and so I went with that.
 
adrenals are tricky surgeries.  I knew that and talked to Dr. Susan about
it before we proceeded.  It was clear she had done lots of reading on it.
I also knew that she had preformed an hysterectomy on a gerbil, so knew she
had even done "surgery on her elbows." She scheduled the surgeries for two
days, doing three ferrets on each day.  My choice for order.
 
The first day I took in Myrna, Maisie, and Sadie.  the last two had been
acting the sickest and I very concerned about their over all health.  She
did Myrna first, and Myrna decided to quit breathing while she was closing.
Dr. Susan preformed mouth to ferret breathing and Myrna came back.  At no
time did her heart stop.  The other surgeries were uneventful.
 
The second day Pookie, Conan, and Esmerelda went in.  Dr. Susan did Pookie
first, since Pooks had had two previous surgeries she was concerned about
scar tissue.  She found none.  but Pookie's tumor was on the right, and she
also had an insulinoma.  Dr. Susan called me during the surgery, she was
unable to do a ligation on the right because she didn't have the right
(expensive) equipment.  She could debulk the tumor, but it was wrapped
tightly to the vena cava and she wanted to let me know the dangers of
nicking it and bleeding.  She also said she could do nothing at all to
that, take out or leave the insulinoma.  and close up.  I told her to take
out the insulinoma., and do whatever she felt comfortable with concerning
the adrenal tumor.  I could not make that decision.  She debulked it,
without incident and also removed the insulinoma.  The other two surgeries
went well.
 
The adrenal gland should normally be around 1 mm.  Dr. Susan found most of
my ferrets to be around the size of a pea or slightly bigger.  This shows
you why this surgery is difficult.
 
I kept the ferrets caged for 24-48 hours.  They let you know when they want
to move around.  Movement is essential to get them over the pain of the
surgery.  They will limit themselves as to activities.  I fed them duck
soup while they were caged and then they went back on kibble.  Within a
week the incisions were fading.  The hair had started growing back on some.
 
Full effects from the surgery could take a few weeks, as the hormone levels
drop in the system of the ferrets.  But I could tell a difference in two
weeks in smell, hair and skin condition with mine.
 
So I have to say that while experience is great, you need to know your vet,
and be comfortable with them.  Trust your own instincts with regards to
your ferret's medical care.  I did, and now I am glad to say I have 6
healthy ferrets and a vet who can say she has done adrenalectomies, and
insulinoma surgery.
 
Maggie and her Mob of not so Musties
[Posted in FML issue 2840]