The bilateral sacral fur loss: more likely adrenal neoplasia.  Go
http://www.geocities.com/sukieslist
and from there just click on the links you want to see.  I'd advise the
FHL, the vets' links, and others that can be further narrowed down in the
other lists of links mentioned in the geocities site.
 
>What can we do about the COLLECTOR?  We need to stop her.  And it seems
>she is starting back up again.  What can we do?
 
Whether referring to the UT situation or any of the others which have
been mentioned through the years: there is EXCELLENT information on
animal hoarding (a form of abuse) that can be linked to from the
geocities site in the first paragraph of this post.  What are needed are
more knowledgeable state and federal laws.
 
>Rebecca Klein posted yesterday about using holistic medicine for adrenal
>"cancer".  Please be aware that not all adrenal disease is cancer.  I my
>experience, most of the adrenal growths that have been removed from our
>ferrets have not been cancerous.
 
That is correct.  Most adrenal growths are NOT malignant.
 
There is quite a bit about melatonin (actually one heck of a lot if a
person uses the search engine, following the tips to be found in the
Files section) at http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-List
 
It is not a cure, but can help control symptoms, though it does not appear
to work as well as Lupron, and neither of those is a cure.  Vet, Jerry
Murray is currently involved in a study of melatonin implants which may
work better than oral melatonin.  There is an alternative product also
under study.  The only possible cure is through surgery.
 
>Dr. Williams at one point stated that adrenal disease is more than just
>losing hair.  If left unchecked, the tumor can grow very large and cause
>a very quick decline in health.  The fact that corticosteroids, estrodiol
>(sp?) are out of balance further justifies surgery in my opinion.
 
Yes, even if any of these slow the tumor's growth it will continue to grow
without surgery -- no matter whether it is benign or malignant.  If it is
among the malignant types then surgery is extra important, but even with
the benign ones over time -- despite Lupron or melatonin or both -- the
fur loss will come back, so will skin disorders, UTIs (which can become
dangerous and which are painful), vaginal infections, prostate enlargement
(very dangerous), and even possibly fatal anemia.  Some ferrets are not
surgical candidates due to other health problems, and some vets are not up
to operating on ferrets, but for most ferrets surgery is the way to go.
[Posted in FML issue 3769]