Yesterday, I posted about the Arizona Ferrets needing homes.  The foster
home of one of the ferrets mentioned something to me that I need to research
a bit.  3 of the wuzzles were listed as havng "hair loss not related to
adrenal disease" but rather to stress.  The foster dad said that it could
be adrenal disease.  He is more ferret worldly than I so I defer to his
expertise - however, I have not been able to reach him since recieving his
E-mail to get mor information, and don't want to put this matter on hold,
especially because of the inquiries I have received to adopt these kids.
 
I have two veterinarians, (#1) more skilled with ferrets and their
intracacies, and another (#2) who is the absolute best in acute care,
regardless of species.  Anyway.  (#2) saw the ferret in this foster girl
both when she came to me, and when she started losing her hair (she has
since moved to another foster home).  The hair loss was on the back and
sides.  There was a thining on the tail, but her rump was still covered.
She had not been eating well and had been supplimented with Duck Soup.
Blood tests were normal.  The vet advised me to remove the girl from our
"general population" of personal ferrets.  Within two weeks, the hair
started to grow back in spots.  The stress diagnoses seemed to stick.  Two
more boys came in exhibiting the same hair loss.  One had other problems so
we went to vet #1 with him.  Vet #1 has been helping me with my Lympho
babies as well as my Adrenal kids.  She made no mention of the possibility
of Adrenal disease, but then again I didn't ask.  When I think back, I think
that I told her the hair loss was due to stress, as it was the same as the
little girls pattern, or should I say lack of pattern.
 
Well, thats it in a nutshell.  We have 3 ferrets in the foster system with
hair loss that is different than my adrenal personal ferrets.  My original
information and beliefs may have been wrong - but I don't know and hope to
get some input.
 
Has anyone else had adrenal kids lose hair in other areas rather than the
"classic ones" initially?  Does anyone recognize a hairloss Between the
shoulders and rump, that may or may not extend down the sides as any other
illness that we are not catching?  This condition affects Curie, Jethro and
Horton, all of which were listed on yesterday's "Arizona Ferrets Need Homes"
post.
 
Any help is greatly appreciated and desperately needed.
 
Kathy Goodhart
Grand Canyon State Ferret Association
[Posted in FML issue 2407]