Hi,
        Sorry if this was already posted here, but I just recently got on the
FML.  Also sorry if it is somewhat long.
 
        I am having a few minor problems with one of my ferrets and would
like your suggestions:
 
        I currently have two ferrets almost four years old.  An albino
and a sable both female which I got at a pet store whom originally came out
of a ferret farm that spays and descents them and places the tatoo on the
ear to signify this.
 
        Last summer, my albino, Mei-mei, started to have her sexual
glands swelling as if she where in heat.  After many trips to the vet
with many test and a few differnet medicines (he was very through and careful
IMHO) my VET believes my ferret has Cushings Disease.  A tumor on either the
Kidney's or Adrenal glands.  He cannot feel the tumor around the
kidney's which means thatthe tumor is either small or in the brain.  He
followed that an operation would be exporitory and would only be luck to find
and remove the tumor.  If the tumor where up in the brain then it is totally
inoperable.
 
        Two months ago he prescibe .75 ml of a steriod called "Cheque".
The original purpose of this medicine was to prevent female dogs from
going into heat.  For ferrets, as I understand, it is a reltively new
treatment for Cushing's.  It seems to have worked as the swelling has
resided, mei-mei is gaining weight, and her hair loss has stopped and
she is actually pretty much back to normal.
 
        The Doctor said that he has another ferret with the same problem
and when they tried to reduce the steriod and the sympotoms reappeared.
 
        The only thing that I can think of out of the ordinary is that
about a year ago I changed her diet from basic Purina Cat Chow to Iams
Kitten food.  Both ferrets seemed to respond to the new diet very well
and there fur coat went from somewaht dry and stiff to quite soft and
silky.  I doubt this is a cause, but it is the only thing that has
changed in their environment that I can think of.  My Doctor said that
Cushing's is quite common among ferrets.
 
        My problems are no big deal, but perhaps someone has some
ideas:
 
        The steriod is quite exspensive but it does go along way (as
long as I can keep my cats from tipping it over and spilling it while I
am admineristing the medicine!)
 
        Mei-mei hates the taste.  I haven't tired to disguase the taste
yet, as I just learned I could do that.  The doctor recomended fruit
juice or something.  Any other ideas?
 
        The last, I use an eye dropper to place (actually and sadly, to
shove) the drops down her throat.  The medicine must have a really
bitter taste as my ferret heads for a tunnel and spits for a few
minutes.  The real problem is that she is becoming more reclusive as
compared to before.   Other medicines were pills and drops with a
bubble gum taste, and these didn't seem to bother her.  Perhpas it is
winter and she just just want to come out as much, but she still seems
like she just doesn't like.
 
        Any other idea to treat this disease more permanatly?  Any
other solutions out there that I can pass on to my vet?
 
        Thanks in advance for your time and any suggestions you might
have.
 
                                        Thanks,
 
                                        Ed Hughes
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[Posted in FML issue 1088]