My ferret Willow had the same sort of tumour as Chris's Salma.  Willow
started showing adrenal signs when she was about 1 1/2 years old but I
was in denial and too scared to have her opened up (what with her being
my extra special little girl...).  I mean she was/ is a British jill,
late spay and raw fed.  How could she possibly have adrenal disease so
young?!  But then she started acting like she was in pain and I felt a
lump in her lower abdomen so last May she had an exploratory.  Like in
Salma's case, the adrenal glands were healthy looking so my vet just
removed the cystic looking growth from where her left ovary would have
been.  Pathology came back saying that it was indeed an adrenal tumour.
Talked to Dr Williams and he said there's a lot of ectopic adrenal tissue
in the (ferret) body so the tumour grew from that tissue.  After the
surgery, the clinical signs soon reversed, the strong smell stopped and
Willow grew back a lovely new thick coat! :-)
 
I was just wondering how common it is that an adrenal tumour grows in the
abdomen, with the adrenal glands being healthy?  I have never read about
this in any of my books or on the Internet...
 
BTW, I wrote about Willow on her page www.ferretlove.co.uk/willow.htm
(the adrenal story is near the end) and there's photos of the tumour at
www ferretlove.co.uk/posts.htm (click on Willow's name on the left hand
side).
 
Ulrike
 
West Wales Ferret Welfare
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.ferretlove.co.uk
Last update 26/04/03
[Posted in FML issue 4269]