I noticed the other day that Buddy is losing fur on the underside of
the end of his tail. The skin that's exposed appears somewhat dry and flakey.
At first I feared the worst (what parent doesn't), maybe an adrenal tumor or
something, but he's showing no other symptoms. His weight is about 2.5 lbs,
and in the past has varied between 2.5 and 2.75. He's got lots of energy, as
Inez ([log in to unmask]) can attest to, after he spent 3 hours running
around her place yesterday, even literally climbing the (carpeted) walls at
times :). I've been going over the List backissues, and there seem to be many
possible causes for this, from dry skin or mites to Cushings or lymphosarcoma
(though more serious problems seem to be usually accompanied by other symptoms).
I *think* my vet is pretty knowledgeable; he was most recommended for ferrets
by the other vets in town. Then again, I don't feel qualified to judge his
expertise. Are there any specific tests I should ask him to run? By the way,
Bud's *probably* about 2 1/4 years old; the vet figured he was about a year
old when I adopted him (Buddy, not the vet :) last year.
 
     I saw something else on Bud just this morning that I had never noticed
before. He has a mark on the back of his right ear. I'm not sure if it's a
tatoo (aren't those usually *inside* the ear?). It appears to be four small
dots in a rough diamond pattern. I can't tell if it's a tatoo or just natural
pigmentation; it's hard to get him to sit still while I fold his ear forward
to get a look at it. Does this sound like a tatoo of a known breeder? It'd be
nice to know a little more about Bud's background; the Humane Society weren't
even sure of his age.
 
John, Buddy, and Cassidy
 
[Posted in FML issue 0548]