>Normal looking stools may also have blood that can be detected by
>microscopy or occult tests, though.  Search the FML archives for this
>year for sources of occult test strips.)
 
We'd been inclined toward these, too, but learned from a post by the
excellent ferret vet, Dr. Jerry Murrray, that these really are NOT
helpful for ferrets.
 
Since I have permission to bring over the text:
 
>Sorry there is no an easy test for gastric ulcers.  Signs of nausea,
>pawing at the mouth, anorexia, and black tarry stools are the common
>signs.  But black tarry stools are not always present.  Illness,
>surgery, new ferrets introduced into a group, and food changes can cause
>the stress that can cause an ulcer.  Older ferrets, recently rescued
>ferrets, and insulinoma ferrets (that are on Pediapred) are also at risk
>for ulcers.  The fecal occult blood test is just not an accurate test.
>
>A small endoscope can verify gastric ulcers in most cases, but that is
>not necessary most of the time.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM
 
This can be found at
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG8554
 
There is a wonderful (wonderful, wonderful, wonderful) article on ulcers
by Dr. Bruce Williams in one of the recent issues of "Ferrets".  If a
person hasn't gotten it then ordering the back issue really makes sense!
 
(BTW, the newest issue of "Ferrets" looks interesting, too: an article
on the pros and cons of each side of caging or not caging by Renee Downs,
an explanation of surgery by Dr. Karen Purcell, re-homing by Pam
Troutman, behaviors explained in terms of biology and natural history by
Bob Church, litter boxes and litter by Erika Matulich, and more.)
 
Having adrenal disease present but no fur loss is not the most common
scenario but it's not at all unusual.  We've been there, including one
with NO symptoms of adrenal disease, who died of something more serious
that made surgery for anything impossible and adrenal disease was found
on necropsy.  We've also had one who had no symptoms till he suddenly
blocked completely one day.  He had emergency urine removal and emergency
surgery.  Anyone with ferrets should know that at some point the family
will have someone who just doesn't have fur loss with adrenal disease.
 
I've read posts from one vet who said she can sometimes feel adrenal
tumors before they get very large.  Others have said that they can feel
then when large, but when large they stand a good chance of already
having become much more dangerous -- malignant and possibly spreading
(though luckily malignant adrenal tumors have a low rate of spreading
unless it is lymphoma which set up there).  I've also read some vets who
say they can never feel them.  Remember that these are all EXCELLENT
vets.  I think that it's more that finger size and finger sensitivity
play a large role.  The ability to feel things varied greatly among
humans, just as most things do.
 
Mystery: some excellent accidental poisoning suggestions have been made.
When you check for CO levels DO check in the places ferrets go but you
can't reach.  Over the years I've read something like 4 situations in
which the severe sickness or death of a ferret or ferrets led to finding
a leak which could have killed everyone if it had gotten worse: a hole
to garage, a low level problem with the feed to a stove, etc.
[Posted in FML issue 4491]