Be sure to not forget that there is usually no need for ferrets with
adrenal disease to die due to it.  Most adrenal cases are correctable
with surgery and that has been true for many years now, and for those
who are not surgical candidates there are medications including ones
for some complications (with variable success).  See recent post by Dr.
Jerry Murray in the FML within the last week and also at
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?gid=1423922
&messageid=5436
 
Exceptions include: still too many ferrets who haven't received treatment
(especially sad because it is avoidable but happens often when vets and
ferret people haven't gotten the info they need), some ferrets who have
serious complications of the right adrenal gland such as incursion into
the Vena Cava, lymphoma in an adrenal gland, sometimes other malignancies
based there (though surgery gives an extremely good rate of success for
those it's not perfect), many of those who have no sign of adrenal
disease until anemia begins (Again see the JM post.), and some of those
who have no sign of adrenal and secondary prostate disease until they
block fully (requiring emergency surgery and/or the meds in JM's post),
and extremely rare things like some who get thoracic fat build up with
difficulty breathing.  Due to more and more vets and ferret people
knowing the signs of adrenal disease and what to do about it almost no
ferrets die of it, and due to excellent instructional tapes, texts, and
seminars out there more and more vets know how to operate safely on
ferrets.  The internet has played a major role in improving veterinary
care at a rapid pace, with the FML having been cited many times for its
impact since the first digest on December 21, 1987.  Disease specific
sites with info such as those links which can be found in the Critical
Reference section of the International Ferret Congress site have made a
huge further impact so that the ability to learn and therefore to save
ferrets spirals into being more and more possible.  I know there are
those out there who think that a large percentage of ferrets die in
surgery, but we know and have read of many vets who go years between
losing any, despite many surgeries of many types with a number of those
surgeries being far more difficult than your standard adrenal surgery.
In http://www.ferretcongress.org there are links to info and to ways to
find recommended vets.  More awareness of where to get information, of
the various symptoms, and that this is usually a correctable condition
can only help save more ferrets.
 
Squinting eyes always call for prompt vet care because there is always
the risk of a corneal infection if left untreated.  (This doesn't refer
to intermittent squinting like can happen when incredibly pleased with
some treats.)
[Posted in FML issue 4218]