>From:    Ann Marshall <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Medical question
>My Oscar is 3 and half years old and he is loosing his undercoat on the
>back of his neck and tummy, he still has all the course guard hairs.  These
>symptoms don't seem to fit with adrenal disease.  Any suggestions would be
>helpful.  ...
 
I know this isn't what you want to hear, but that is one of the signs of an
adrenal problem.  They probably lose the guard hairs too, it's just not as
noticeable as when the lush undercoat thins out.  In advanced cases it can
look as if the only thing they have left are guard hairs.  Of course
adrenal is not the only thing that can cause hair loss, and Oscar may not
have an adrenal problem, so don't panic just yet.
 
If Oscar is in a well lighted area, and you look down at him, can you see a
pinkish tinge around the neck area you said was thinning?  If so, his hair
is probably much thinner than it should be because the pinkish tinge is
from his skin showing through.  Even with a summer coat the undercoat
usually isn't thin enough to allow the skin to show through that clearly.
 
Good luck at the vet, but if he doesn't really know ferrets that well, he
probably won't be able to tell you much unless there's an obvious problem
that is not caused by adrenal.  Standard blood tests will not reveal an
adrenal problem.  Other than the blood panel run by the U of Tenn., the
only other way to diagnose an adrenal problem is symptomatically or by
exploratory surgery.
 
For the ferrets,
Mike
 
* Michael F. Janke, [log in to unmask]
* Secretary, South Florida Ferret Club & Rescue
* A 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation
*
* Visit our web site:  http://www.miamiferret.org
[Posted in FML issue 2435]