Hello and many happy dooks to all the fuzzbutts!  Love and warm wishes to
those who are sick or unhappy.
 
I'm writing today because Jerry and I just got back from the vet.  We're
seeing an increasing amount of hairloss on the back, underside, and tail,
as well as decreased skin elasticity.  The skin on his underside almost
hangs.  It folds and sags and when I pinch it, it doesn't snap back like it
should.  We're looking towards the removal of three small skin tumors in
the near future, but we don't think that's the major problem here.  They're
probably just a few mast cell tumors and they don't seem to be causing any
discomfort or itchiness (aside from the normal bouts where Jerry darts out
of his hidey hole like a bat out of hell for an urgent itch attack.  That's
pretty normal, as far as I've seen.)  His hairloss is not symmetrical, so
it doesn't look like the hairloss associated with adrenal tumors, unless
it's adrenal problems with an unassociated skin problem.  The skin, where
the hair is gone, is dry and somewhat flakey, with a bit of scabbing.  As
I said, it doesn't seem to be overly itchy.  We did a medicated shampoo
treatment for three weeks, and now we're scheduling surgery to remove the
skin tumors and to do a skin biopsy.  Hopefully this will yield some
answers.
 
Jerry has been having some trouble using the bathroom, but his hit rate on
the litter box is up to almost 95%.:0) !!!   He has also been acting more
agressively towards Stimy lately, with the biting and the rough play...He
tends to use his weight to pin poor Stimy to the floor!  I guess its just
an advantage of being fat.
 
Did I mention he's fat?  Jerry is a fat ferret...not particularly large,
just fat.  But he has lost almost 100g since our last vet visit, almost 3
weeks ago.  I write this because I'm looking for some advice.  Of course
we're going through with the surgery soon and hopefully I'll know more when
the biopsies come back from the lab.  Has anyone ever seen anything like
this?  Does anyone know anything about skin allergies in ferrets?  Anyone
who may have advice or comments, please e-mail me at [log in to unmask]  Any
references to articles I can research or people I can talk to would be
appreciated.
 
Hug all your carpet-diggers extra tight tonight for me.  Especially the
older ones.  The time you have with them is so precious and wonderful,
but nothing lasts forever.  I fear for my Jerry.
 
Dooks to the fuzzies!
 
Kim and Jerry, Stimy, Kashmir, Peggy, Maggie
([log in to unmask])
[Posted in FML issue 3182]