Hello Adrienne,
 
you wrote:
>From:    Adrienne Boerger <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Help!  Swollen Nipples
>My one year old ferret, Misty has swollen nipples.  They are enlarged and
>protruding and a little crusty.  She is acting fine...
>I will probably take her to the vet this week but if anyone has any ideas
>as to whether this is a serious problem or not, please e-mail me directly.
 
Is your ferret spayed?  You did not state as to whether she has already
been neutered.  I would suspect a hormonal problem associated with estrus
ort a related problem due to adrenal conditions.  Though the vulva is not
enlarged-- it is possible for a ferret to be in estrus without and
enlarged, protruding vulva-- there are some ferrets who have what is termed
an inverted vulva-- we have seen one just this way at the shelter.  By the
time anyone knew what was wrong she had lost hair on the haunches similar
to adrenal disease.  She was then cycled out of estrus with an injection,
spayed and now is happy and healthy.  Certainly get her to the vets ASAP--
I would also suggest a blood count to assure that aplastic anemia has not
set in!
 
best wishes--
alicia
for the many faces at Ferret Wise
http://www.darmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html
 
our web catalog page at:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/funalia.html
 
and  at
http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=1890&mid=9535
 
Where Ferret Wise will receive  $2.00 for every new person who signs on,
and its totally free ( just takes a few minutes of your time) to help.
Thank you from all the ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 2747]