Hi Mike,

My first ferret Winston who died in 1992 lost all his hair on his body
and tail,but not legs or head.We took him to the vet and they felt it
was an allergy to something,possibly carpet cleaner.A few months later
his coat grew in thick and full. The following year he started having
trouble urinating and blocked a few times, but the vet was able to
unblock him by massaging and "milking" his urethra by rolling it
between his fingers while working towards the opening.A plug of mucus
or pus came outfollowed by the urine.Winston had frequent urinary tract
infections.His hair fell out again the following summer and that time
the vet had heard of adrenal disease and link to prostate enlargement
and hair loss.The clinic was having somebody come in to demo an
ultrasound machine and I was asked to bring in Winston so we could
check his prostate and adrenal.I really don;t think they saw anything
abnormal, but it was so long ago.I do remember the 2 vets debating on
weather ferrets had an actual prostate gland or not,very strange. What
I do remember is the next day Winston was very lethargic and had purple
red flat spots all over his belly and he felt cold.. I thought at the
time it was a reaction to the ultrasound gel.I took him back to the vet
and he started to convulse and died.I know it was from sepsis from the
frequent bladder infections.

We have come a long way in diagnosing and treating adrenal disease,
but Yes, his coat did grow back without any treatment,only to fall
again the following summer.

Debbie

[Posted in FML 7985]