[Someone here asked about this a while ago due to academic interest, but
the vet I needed to ask was away, we had some family emergencies, and
with one thing or another the topic just got forgotten.  Today am putting
together some posts a vet needs and found this so I am sending it in.  I
can't recall what else the person was curious about with dysuria but the
questions could be asked at the FHL.  --Sukie]
 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/message/9630
[old URL - no longer accessible]
 
The most common cause of dysuria in male ferrets is prostatic disease as
a result of adrenal disease.  Our belief for many years that crystals in
the urine was causing these animals not to be able to urinate was simply
incorrect.  Crystalluria (sandy crystals and plugs in the urine) do
occasionally happen, but nowhere as commonly as adrenal disease will
cause this problem.
 
With adrenal disease, the estrogens result in the prostate swelling and
occluding the urethra as it passes through.  These animals cannot
voluntarily urinate, but the bladder is easily expressed.
 
Differentiation of the two syndromes can be accomplished by one or more
of the following tests:
 
1) Evacuating the bladder.  If the ferret is having trouble urinating,
but you express the bladder by hand and urine comes out easily, then it
is likely the prostate.  If the urine does not come out, or only dribbles
out, urinary stones are a more likely cause.
 
2) Look for other symptoms of adrenal disease - hair loss, behavioral
changes such as marking or aggression.
 
If it is still in doubt, the blood tests available at the University of
Tenn.  for adrenal disease will help.
 
3) Do a urinalysis, to include a sediment exam.  While both causes will
result in WBC's in the urine, there are usually far more in prostatic
disease, as there is often suppurative inflammation coming out of the
bladder.  The sediment in prostatic disease will have numerous white
blood cells, and flakes of keratin.  In urinary stones, you will see
many urine.  The pH of urine in crystalluria is usually more alkaline.
 
It is usually best to look at several of these parameters before a
decision to do surgery is made.  While a perineal urethrostomy will not
hurt a ferret with prostatic disease, it is not helpful.  However, a PU
is always a good idea in ferrets with recurrent urinary crystals.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4084]