[You should upgrade to 7.2.3.  Real nice... ;-)]
 
Here's another problem one of the local ferret owners is having.
She called me today, and I really had no answer other than to refer
her to a ferret specialist.  But, I told her I would ask around
(here's where all of you come in... :-) ) to see if I could find
out anything.
 
The ferret in question is a 4 year old, spayed female.  About 3 years
ago she lost all the fur on her tail, and it hasn't grown back.  At
times it has seemed to be starting to, but it never does.  Now the
hair loss is starting to creep up the back.
 
I asked her about possible stress in the ferret's life, but it seems
that this ferret lives a great life.  Caged, but with plenty of
exercise in the "ferret" rooms.  Lots of toys.  Lots of *LOVE*!!!
There was a new ferret introduced about 6 months ago, and they
don't get along, but that wouldn't explain the previous 2 1/2 years
prior to their introduction.  (Yes, I forgot to ask about diet...)
 
She's been to several vets, and has been told everything from fleas to
Cushings, "Don't worry about it" to "let's try exploratory surgery".
 
[What is Cushings?]
 
Here's the questions:
 
1.  Do you have any ideas about what this might be?
 
[There are many different possibilities.  The more usual ones are
being in heat, pregnancy, seasonal fur cycles.  I wonder whether in
spayed females the hormone differences are sometimes responsible.  Nicia,
on the other hand, was sans hair on her tail for a year before we finally
found out what it was.]
 
2.  If it *IS* Cushings, then wouldn't she be deteriorating physically?
    (She hasn't shown any other signs of being ill.)
 
3.  Are there any tests, short of exploratory surgery, to determine for
    sure that it is/isn't Cushings?
 
[Like I said, I don't know Cushings.  But on the other hand, it wasn't
until exploratory surgery on Nicia did we find out what was causing
all of her problems - a foreign mass in her abdomen that looked like
a ball of double-pointed toothpicks - was causing all sorts of
problems - hair loss, high fevers, and last, convulsions and paralysis
before we finally found out why.]
 
4.  Any ideas that might get the hair to grow back, if it's just an
    "unexplainable hair loss"?
 
[Diet change.  What temperature is she living in?]
 
5.  Since this is the only problem she seems to be having, is it even
    worth worrying about?  She "seems" to be in perfect health otherwise.
 
[Don't know.  We know some other ferrets with thin or missing hair that
seem perfectly healthy.  Mind you, they are getting a little elderly]
 
Thanks!!!
 
- Nancy
 
Nancy Hartman                                   CIS graduate student
[log in to unmask]                                U. of Delaware
        President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club
                      Owner of Percy & Bree
                                                                          
[Posted in FML 0149]