Hi,
It's been a long time since i posted but these 2 issues made me do it...:)
 
First, Michelle, the black crusty bloody scabs that you see on your ferrets
back sound to me like they are tumors, they are crusty because they are
very itchy and they scratch at them, they are usually not malignant, in
fact it is rare, but surgical removal seems to be the only treatment, they
wont come back after removal, but chances are he may get more in other
places.
 
In some cases if they have lymphosarcoma the tumors can metastize to the
skin, i would probably remove them and send them for biopsy to determine
whether or not they are malignant.
 
Then i have a question, i've been seing lately a coupple of mystery
illnesses in ferrets around me, (not my own) but one little female has me
really wondering, she became very lethargic lost weight, became dehydrated,
pale, and appeared to be paralized in her hind legs, she dragged herself
around with her front legs, but was so weak she hardly could make it to her
litterbox, i noticed that she has hairloss in patches on her sides and
back....the skin doen't seem to be itchy or irritated where she lost her
hair.....could this be a sign of anemia?  she got fluids, and chicken gravy
feedings to sustain her, all the while she appeared to have a cold, could
this be parvo influenza that i read about here on fml?
 
what is parvo influenza?  can they get this whether or not they are
vaccinated against distemper?
 
She seems now to be doing better, she has regained use of her hindlegs and
is walking.  But i am wondering if any of you have seen anything like this?
 
Also, a friend has just had her little fuzzie girl go through surgery for
adrenal, the left adrenal was taken out, but the right adrenal although
enlarged is still there, so she want's to put her on Lupron, a lot of vets
here in Las Vegas don't know about this treatment, and i don't know where
to get it, can anyone tell me where her vet can order it?
 
One last thing, my ferret Truls has had on and off diahrreah and yellow
seedy looking poops in the past, my vet gave me something to try, he told
me it is an enzyme but i am not clear on what it does, if it helps the food
stay in longer, or pre-digest?  the name of it is Acepromazine Maleate, on
the idications it says: As an aid in tranquilization and as a preanesthetic
agent in dogs.
 
It is odorless, and tasteless, so it can easily be mixed with the food.  Is
it safe to be using in ferrets longterm?  it does seem to help him with his
diahrreah, but i would like a second opinion since i don't like the word
"tranquilization" on the label, he is a mellow ferret as it is and i
wouldn't want him to be doped.
 
Sorry this got so long, i would really appreciate some input on these
questions.
 
Sincerely
Josephine
[Posted in FML issue 2833]