Lily, my 4 y.o.  albino, is having a second adrenalectomy today...the right
one this time.  Her symptoms never abated after the left adrenal gland was
removed (almost 4 weeks ago).  My vet consulted with 3 vets at Auburn
University (one of them owns ferrets and is quite expert) who were all in
agreement that the right one had to be removed.  Now, here's my question.
The Auburn vets all say that a ferret can live just fine without either
adrenal gland.  The Ferret Adrenal Disease FAQ says differently.  It says
that unless you can do a partial adrenalectomy that hormone replacement
therapy is necessary.  My vet plans to remove the entire right gland and
said he would give me a list of symptoms to look for which might indicate
that medications are necessary.  I know that new information is found every
day and hope that maybe the FAQ is not current to new information on this
matter.  What do the vets out there think?
 
Lily had two separate and distinct tumors in her left adrenal, one being a
pheochromocytoma.  Neither was the common tumor found in the adrenal.  There
have only been 3 reported cases of this in ferrets.  The Auburn vets are
very interested in her and even asked that I take her to Auburn.  I declined
but they may do a paper on her as she is definitely in the very rare range.
Please let me know what you think.
 
Thanks
Katharine Long
[Posted in FML issue 2094]