SUMS writes:
>May I ask what expertise you have in this area to pose the questions you
>do?  Are you a veterinarian?"
 
First of all, I didn't know we had to be veterinarians to ask questions
here at the FML, if this is the case, BIG please let me know.
 
I too had the same questions that Ellen wrote, I have a friend that is
in the Baltimore area, and is scheduling his only ferret for surgery, he
believes she is adrenal.  I would like to know the name of your vet,
because if your vet is doing something different that may benefit the
ferret during this type of surgery, I think we could all learn from this.
 
It is my understanding from the research I have done, and talking to my
local vets, that in most cases during an adrenal surgery, the vet will
take a look at both glands, and if both are infected, both are removed
during that time.  Also if the surgery becomes complicated, and a
situation arises that the vet didn't feel he should proceed, I would
think that most vets would remove the right gland first, waiting could
cause that gland to grow and it could wrap around the vena cava, making
that second surgery more difficult, posing more of a threat to the
ferret?
 
I understand that all surgeries are different.  Some ferrets may have
complications during the surgery, where the vet would feel the best thing
to do would be to stop surgery at that time, however in the first post
that I read about Tucker, I didn't really see this was an issue.
 
I also am wondering if bringing Tucker back for the second surgery, in
a months time, is too soon?  Wouldn't that be putting him through more
stress than what he would have gone through if both glands were removed
in the first place?
 
Here is a link I found (among many) I found interesting:
http://www.labanimal.com/col/diag1098.htm
 
And it says:
"The preferred treatment of adrenal gland disease is unilateral
adrenalectomy (Fig. 2).  If both glands are diseased, a bilateral
surgical procedure is recommended."
 
I thought *most* vets followed this protocol.  I really would like the
name of your vet so I can ask my friend if this is the vet he is choosing
to go to.
 
I am wishing Tucker a full recovery.
Kris
[Posted in FML issue 4021]