>I have a rescue ferret that I would quess is around 4 years old.  She has
>shown signs of adrenal disease for around 2 years and has lost her hair
>from her waist to the middle of her tail.  Her vulva was extreemely
>swollen the first year but is almost normal size now.  My issue is that
>two of her teats are red and the red area on one is the size of a dime,
>it is swollen and hard to the touch.  Please advise.
 
>This could be a tumor or mastitis - I recommend you get to a vet asap,
>as both are very painful, though mastitis usually worse.  Time for
>adrenalectomy here.
 
-Dr. Karen
 
DISCLAIMER:
This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only.  It is
in no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified
licensed veterinarian.  If you are concerned about your pet's health, you
should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible.
 
 ----
 
Mammary hyperplasia (or for that matter, mammary tumors) are very uncommon
in domestic ferrets - but interestingly, very common in black-footed
ferrets, but that's a whole different subject.
 
However, in 50% of the 4 cases of mammary hyperplasia I have seen in
ferrets, the animals had concomitant adrenal tumors.  While this finding
may simply be coincidental, the possibility that the mammary hyperplasia
is a direct result of excessive estrogen/hydroxyprogesterone liberation
from an adrenal lesion cannot be ignored.  The relative infrequence of
it, couple with the ubiquitousness of adrenal disease, though, certainly
makes one think that there may be another trigger involved in this process.
 
It would be interesting to see if the mammary lesion regressed if the
adrenal problem is addressed.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
[Posted in FML issue 3457]