>I have certainly read that brain tumors are very, very rare, but am
>wondering if some of the cases in which one is suspect due to symptoms
>like seizures, and hormonal problems exist (such as adrenal-like or
>heat-like symptoms even when surgery finds no problem), or
>insulinoma-like symptoms without insulinoma, if perhaps the pituitary
>could be involved due to its regulation of endocrine glands?  If so, is
>it possible that more readily available methods other than CAT scans
>might be of use for diagnoses given its location and function?  Have no
>idea, myself.
 
Dear X:
 
Have never seen a case of pituitary-related hyperadrenocorticism in a
ferret - although this is fairly common in dogs.  Have only seen one
pituitary tumor (although I RARELY ever see pituitaries, unless I do the
necropsy), and it was not clinically significant.
 
And, rarely can tumors in and around the pituitary result in clinical
signs as a result of compression of the brain - the pituitary lives in a
small depression at the base of the brain.  In dogs, these tumors may
cause blindness or seizures if they grow enough to compress the overlying
brain.  Most commonly, they cause clinical signs referable to hormonal
derangement, as the pituitary is the site of regulation of a number of
hormones, including regulating the release of adrenal hormones.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
 
[Sukie note: one individual wrote to say that her vet recommended
PET, Positron Emission Tomography, scans.]
[Posted in FML issue 3631]