http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=3059
 
>When up and awake, he is alert and appears healthy but Cyndi the ever
>vigilant ferret wrangler/wife AND our vet are convinced that he is
>expressing a very Cushings Syndrome appearance...and they can find no
>reference to that being the case in ferrets.
>
>Can you comment or direct to reference?  Or recommend perhaps a partial
>pancreatectomy this next time around...subject to -perhaps our vet
>getting in touch with you first (and she is very willing to do so)....we
>just keep increasing the pred doses and the ceiling must be getting near.
 
Dear X:
Ferrets don't really get Cushing's disease, so I can't give you a
reference on that.  This appearance (somewhat pear-shaped with excessive
fat in the abdomen and muscle wasting) is not uncommon in older ferrets,
especially those with adrenal disease (but not Cushings.)
 
Prednisone administration over the long term can also accentuate this
appearance.  (You can call this iatrogenic Cushing's if you want.)
 
If you would like a reference on the nodulectomy vs. pancreatectomy
here's one:
 
Weiss CA, Williams BH, Scott MV.
Insulinoma in the ferret: clinical findings and treatment comparison
of 66 cases.
J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 1998 Nov-Dec;34(6):471-5.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
 
[Sukie note: "iatrogenic" means "result of the treatment".]
[Posted in FML issue 4033]