Adrenal tumors ARE fatal... for all practical purposes....
 
Technically, adrenal disease is not, of itself, fatal.  An adrenal tumor
is (VERY roughly speaking) simply an overgrowth of adrenal gland tissue
that acts like an adrenal gland, secreting hormones just like a normal
gland... except it doesn't STOP secreting hormones, just keeps on putting
out excess hormones that the body doesn't need.
 
It's actually the side effects of adrenal gland tumors that are fatal.
For instance:
 
1. A tumor on the right side gland growing into and blocking the vena
cava (primary abdominal blood supply) which robs organs of blood
eventually causing organ failure.
 
2. Hormones excessively enlarging the prostate (in males) causing the
prostate to press against the urinary tract resulting in restriction of
urine flow which leads to urinary tract infections, which in turn, can
lead to more serious bladder & kidney infections, renal failure.  (I'm
not a vet, there's actually more to than just this.)
 
3. In females, the excess hormones produce the same effect as being in
heat too long: anemia.
 
This is why Lupron is used to treat non-surgical candidates.  Lupron
treats the side-effects of the tumors: the excess hormone release.  Lupron
will NOT save a ferret with a blocked vena cava.  Lupron does NOT STOP OR
SLOW the growth of the tumor.
 
I have seen an adrenal gland grow from normal (pinhead) size to 1/2"
diameter (plenty big enough to block the vena cava) in less than 4 months.
Tumors grow at different rates of speed.  Sometimes a very small tumor
produces a lot of symptoms.  Sometimes a very large tumor produces very
few symptoms.
 
Neither you NOR YOUR VET can tell just by looking at the outside of the
ferret.  Ultrasound can sometimes show them... sometimes they don't show
up.  One that "feels" small to the vet, can be a large one covered up in
fatty tissue.  (Been there, seen that.) THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW how big it
is or how fast it's growing.  Vets are only human, sometimes they have to
make a "best guess", too; their guess is just a little more educated than
ours (hopefully).  Adrenal tumors can be hard masses... and they can be
soft masses that feel just like fat.
 
Other symptoms include:
1. increased aggressive behavior
2. a strong "whole male" odor similar to, but much stronger than, the
   "sleepy ferret" smell, especially around the neck.  This may come and
   go and occurs in females as well as males.
3. recurring urinary tract infections
4. some ferrets will have several symptoms, others only one (ANY one!)
 
Although adrenal tumors are not fatal, not surgically removing them
immediately (when possible) is a needless risk.
 
 
(Stepping up onto soapbox...)
 
Waiting to see if hair grows back is foolish and has NOTHING to do with
the presence or absence of an adrenal tumor.  Bilateral hair loss (similar
on both sides of the spinal column) .... whether it's on the tail, the
rump, the shoulders, the head, the ears, the toes..... is the symptom of
adrenal gland disease 99.9% of the time...........
 
BUT....
 
In the above mentioned quick growth case..... THERE WAS NO HAIR LOSS AT
ALL.  The only symptom was a slight change in behavior... Jelly was a
little crankier than normal, squabbling with a former sleep buddy.
(Increased aggression is an adrenal tumor symptom, a result of increased
hormones mimicking the "whole male" attitude.)
 
We have a very bad preconceived idea that if the hair loss didn't begin on
the rump then maybe it's just stress.  Hair loss begins on the rump maybe
40% of the time.... and almost ALWAYS grows back at coat change time (only
to fall out again later... sometimes in a different area)!
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
 
Practical & easy training, care, & maintenance articles available at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/
[Posted in FML issue 3804]