>>Fur loss on the tail only is usually only dermal.  It is usually not
>>adrenal.  Fur loss elsewhere is more likely to be a sign of adrenal
>>problems.
 
>Statistically, that's true.  However, if you have the money for it,
>getting even a bald tail checked out is worth it.
 
Yep, that has been our experience and that of vets I know, though others
can have had experiences which vary.  Of course, the first course of
action in ferret health is always to get a vet's assessment.  Nothing
takes the place of a vet and vets have backgrounds none of the rest of us
have, including me, of course.  Our typical routine around here is that
the vet care is up there with unavoidable expenses and if other things
can't be gotten that year (or years as often does happen and has
happened) then that is just life.
 
>I just had two adrenal ferrets treated whose only external symptom was
>bald tails, and I *may* have one or two others in the same boat now.
 
Yes, it can happen, so it is tough call because a person doesn't want to
open a ferret needlessly and also doesn't want to miss a growth that is
getting out of hand.
 
One thing I have long wondered about in relation to adrenal neoplasia is
if it is like slipped discs are in humans.  It turns out that in humans
that about 75% of slipped discs never bother a person and never need
care.  The way this was found was in study of donated cadavers to medical
schools.  I have long wondered if it may be that there may be adrenal
growths which simply don't cause problems more commonly than we all know,
so that treatment may depend to some extent on degree of changes caused,
like with slipped discs.
 
Ferrets do get influenza and do get some of the sinus infections humans
get (which is why they are used for research like in developing influenza
vaccines and why there are people here who have adopted ones used in the
development of influenza vaccines), but they don't get human rhinoviruses
(colds) which is why they aren't used in those types of research.  I
don't know if a seriously immune compromised ferret may be able to get
colds, say like one on serious chemo.  Bruce Williams, veterinary
pathologist ferret specialist, has written on this.
 
No, none of those were photos of me.  I am neither so young, nor so
attractive.  Glad you liked the article!
[Posted in FML issue 4048]