Well, i just got back from the Vet's, and she was pretty good, actually, for
a Canadian Vet.  She was more knowledgeable than any other i have spoken to
so far, and she seemed very interested in ferrets.
 
She gave Molly a thorough exam and found that her heart sounded fine, her
temp.  was just slightly high, she felt fine, but her hair loss is "pretty
severe", and her vulva is just slightly swollen (on one side more than the
other...if that means anything).
 
She felt that stress could be a possibility since both times she has lost
her fur (last Sept.  and now) were stressful times (moving, the addition of
her rambunctious little brother Leo, my hosp.  stays, etc.).  But, since the
loss of fur is pretty bad (and last time it was bilateral...she lost
underfur down both sides of her body) and stress can exacerbate adrenal
problems, she thinks that might be it.
 
She is going to consult with a Vet.  at the Univ.  of Guelph about this and
get back to me.
 
I asked about the Univ.  of Tenn.  adrenal panel, and she said she would ask
the other Vet.  about that, too (but since it is $75 for Vet's in the
States, it would probably be a mint to get up here).
 
I saw adrenal glands on my dead-kitty in anatomy class and _they_ were so
tiny...how you can get at them in a ferret, i can't even imagine!  I really
hope they don't tell me she needs surgery.
 
What happens if you just let this go?  Will that kill her?  What about
lysodren therapy?  Is that not effective enough?
 
Molly is also underweight (only 1.5 pds) and how she could survive a Vet.
who has probably never done this before cutting her open, I don't know.
 
Maybe we would take a drive down to the States!
 
Net-Vet's: Please, let me know what you think about all this, o.k.?
 
Thank you,
 
Norma-ann
President of the Southern Ontario Ferret Association
and Mom to Molly Mae and Leo.
[Posted in FML issue 1477]