I am facing a real problem with my ferret and her adrenal problems and
would like any input anyone out there who has encountered the same problem
may have to give me.  Two years ago my ferret Tourette who was a year and a
half at the time lost all her fur on her tail.  It took her over 6 months
for it to grow back but it eventually did and was as fluffy and beautiful a
tail as ever.  The same thing took place this year and I took her in to
have blood work done on her fearing she might have adrenal.  Other then the
fur loss she was the same as ever, no behavior changes, no pain seemed to
be experienced by her.  The blood work came back and her hormone levels
were in the upper limits of normal, un-diagnostic as my vet termed it.  He
suggested exploratory surgery and I waited for three months more before I
finally consented.  When he opened her up he said that there was nothing
out of the ordinary, her adrenal glands looked fine so he closed her up and
took a skin biopsy and sent it off.  She recouped from the surgery like a
real trooper.  The results of the biopsy came in last week and it showed
adrenal problems!  My vet said that if she continued to loose fur past her
tail or if her behavior changed he wanted to reopen her in 6 months time.
I have never read of anyone going through this much of an ordeal with a
ferret with adrenal problems.  What I have read has always seemed fairly
cut and dry so I am asking for anyone out there that can shed some light on
this to e-mail me.  I hate the thought of having her reopened but the
thought of her getting to the point of it being terminal does not set well
with me.  I will do what is in my ferrets best interest but I need more
information on what seems to be a real problem with my poor little girl.
[Posted in FML issue 2879]