>I never thought that I could ever find a reason to do it, but here goes...
>
>I've got (2) 2 year old neutered male ferrets that are exhibiting mating
>behavior. The 'girl' of the pair has had to be separated from his cagemate
>due to the bite wounds from the 'boy'.  These ferrets were released to
>the shelter and she said that they fight a lot in the cage.  This isn't
>fighting, the sable scruffs, mounts and 'mates' (as best as a neutered
>male can to another male) with the panda.
>
>Both have been thoroughly examined by my vet, as I was concerned that we
>had a possible cryptorchid causing all of the problems.  He couldn't find
>one on either ferret, so we gave the sable a lupron shot and took blood
>for a Tennessee Panel, just in case we have an unusual adrenal case going
>on.  The only other thing that is unusual is the sable did have what
>looked like hob rings around his eyes, but have since faded.  We have
>nothing else to look for, so I thought I would toss this out to the
>collective experts....we should have the results of the panel back next
>week.  Any ideas other than exploratory surgery?  That is basically our
>last card to play.
 
I've seen this before, and it turned out to be the most aggressive adrenal
tumors I'd ever witnessed (my own ferret, of course).  I suspect the panel
will come back elevated, but surgery here is a good bet before he starts
having urinary problems.  The poor panda is just a victim here, separation
is a good idea.
 
-Dr. Karen
 
DISCLAIMER:
This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only.  It is
in no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified
licensed veterinarian.  If you are concerned about your pet's health, you
should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible.
[Posted in FML issue 3427]