The only blood test that can definitely confirm adrenal gland disease in
ferrets is the TN Panel (Tennessee Panel), and sometimes an ultrasound
can spot it but those can have artifacts at times.
 
Prednisone and Prednisolone are not used to treat adrenal disease in
ferrets.  What are used are surgery, or Lupron Depot and melatonin, and
in some parts of the world (and hopefully here within a couple of years
given the usual timing for USDA of a well studied med) what is used is
deslorelin depot/Suprelorin Depot.  Adrenal disease in ferrets is
hormonal rather than being Cushings (though a rare minority appear to
have a steroidal component and these ferrets also appear to be more
vulnerable to developing diabetes, but in that situation the diabetes
seems to be very responsive to Lupron Depot teatment along with the
adrenals).  When Prednisolone is used (typically in conjunction with
Percorten or Fludrocort/Florinef and sometimes some added salt in the
diet till everything is stabilized) is when surgery or atrophy of a
combination cause a ferret to go Addisonian.  (Look up Addisons,
Addisonian, the med names, etc.) The Preds are used for insulinoma,
though, and for some other things.
 
Here are some highly reputable write-ups for you to read and more
information is in both the FML and FHL Archives.  You can find the
address of the FML Archives in the header of every day's FML.  The
FHL Archives' new address is in my signature.
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/basics.htm
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/24hr_lupron.htm
(why to use the depot form of Lupron instead of 24 hour Lupron)
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/addisons.htm
 
Shoot!  The cable company is gradually replacing aging underground cable
locally and I just lost my connection yet again; this will be going on
for while, I'm afraid, but will help in the long run.  I may not have
time to come back and give you more direct links before we regain our
connection, so plan on using the very friendly search engines of the
FML and FHL.
 
Be sure to look up the meds in
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
 
Use the box that refers to the post containing the word(s) and to skip
extraneous stuff use the medication names for your searches.
 
For most targeted and accurate info skip the subject contains box but
in addition to the content box use the from box.  In that put AFERRETVET
 
Be sure to also read up Propecia / Proscar for males, and on Epogen
and some other meds for the complications of untreated adrenals.
 
In the FML Archives you will find that I have carried over an excellent
post from Dr. Bruce Williams on what occurs with untreated adrenals.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5177]