We may never find out what "causes" adrenal flare ups in ferrets. All
ferrets may be prone to adrenals and it only surfaces when the ferret
becomes stressed: caged all day because the family is too busy, arriving in
a strange place like a ferret shelter, the loss of a companion, a change in
diet - the list goes on and on. Maybe it is genetic, ferrets bred to other
ferrets who have the disposition to get adrenal tumors cause the offspring
to pass on the trait, but we don't see the trait until 2-3 or more years
down the road. All this time the parents are being bred to each other or
other ferrets and the problem isn't known until it is too late - in ferret
farms as well as small private breeders.
The fact of the matter is, adrenals happen. If we can't stop them, then we
need to be more efficient in taking care of them. Here is where the ferret
community can take on the charge.
Adrenal surgery is no more difficult than a spay 80% of the time. If the
left adrenal is the affected one, then it is just as "easy" to remove as
the ovaries. So why does this surgery cost so much more than a spay? I
have a vet who will do the adrenal operation for $75 (this is my shelter's
price, the public gets charged $185 last time I checked), same as a spay.
Now, if the tumor is on the right side, he just takes off half of it and
tells me the results. Princess is now 8 years old and had half a right
adrenal removed 12/97. She's fine and furry.
I don't see why shelters should pay more for this operation, except vets
have realized this is a common "health problem" in ferrets and are cashing
in on it. I know of vets in my area that charge close to $650 for an
adrenal operation, and I've been brought those same ferrets because the
owners could not afford to spend that on their pets, and THEN I tell them
that the ferret has an infection of the vagina, to go see another vet, and
they KEEP their ferrets.
This is what ferret shelters and ferret lovers should do - make a good
relationships with the vets in your area and talk them into standardizing
the prices of adrenal surgeries. If a ferret spay costs $85, then so
should an adrenal surgery for the left side. If a spay and descent costs
$150, then so should a partial adrenal surgery for the right side. If you
know of a $300 difference between vet costs for the same surgery in your
area, then you need to patronize the vet who has the reasonable costs, and
educate the vet just taking advantage of a trend. If there is a good vet
in your area who is lacking on ferret experience, then especially as a
shelter, you should cook a deal where the rescues come in and get lower
cost surgeries as the vet learns to hone his skill. Yes, the ferret may
not make it through surgery, but without the surgery, was the ferret on a
short time line anyway?
If we as consumers have services like Priceline and discount clubs to buy
things at better rates, then why should we settle for anything different
with vets? Now, surgeries like pancreatic tumors are expected to cost a
bit more, but there is more to the process. Adrenals are not a hassle - a
vet can read about the procedure in a number of books and magazines now.
They don't even need to see it performed first by another vet (though I
highly recommend this).
Adrenals are going to be with us for a long time, maybe forever. Not all
are life threatening, but ferrets should have a coat of their own to keep
them warm. We need to see to our pet's needs. Comparison shop and educate
vets - it will benefit everyone in the end.
Pam Troutman, Shelters That Adopt & Rescue Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 2687]
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