No, fur loss on the tail is often is NOT adrenal disease.  When only
the tail is involved the chances are higher that it may only be
dermatological so in those cases ask a ferret-knowledgeable vet since
often you'll be given something to treat for dermatological problems
while waiting to see if more clear signs develop.  Of course, if other
common adrenal signs exist that is different matter from tail fur loss
only without other adrenal signs.  (Also, remember that which signs show
up at first varies among individuals and that some present suddenly with
life threatening problems like an inability to urinate or massive
anemia.)
 
YES, adrenal disease can cause deaths and YES even when it doesn't it has
bad impacts on quality of life.  It NEEDS to be treated whenever possible
and these days with medication options for those who can't have surgery
there ARE more ways to tackle adrenal neoplasia.
 
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG5054
 
>Subject: RE: Not Treating Adrenal Disease...
>
>I think that Melissa and Sukie have covered the dire possibilities
>very well (and they are very real.)...
 
>However, even under the best conditions, when there is no malignancy,
>there is no bone marrow >toxicosis, there is no prostatic cystic
>disease - even the most mild prediction is a sad one.  Ferrets with
>adrenal disease have a diminished quality of life - they have progressive
>muscle loss, low grade anemia, they tend to redistribute weight to the
>abdomen, further making it difficult to walk, they have an increased
>incidence of gastric ulcers as a result of the stress of chronic
>illness, decreased bone density - none life-threatening, but all
>life-compromising.  Even medical treatment, which is not my preferred
>way of treating adrenal disease, gives slight releif to symptoms.
>Doing nothing is not kind and not in a ferret's best interest.
>
>With kindest regards,
>Bruce Williams, DVM
 
I haven't had a chance to ask Melissa's permission to carry over her post
but you can read and learn from it in full at
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG5035
 
I noted:
>If the ferret is left untreated what can happen? That depends on the
>ferret and which adrenal in >involved. Certainly a right one may
>grow into the liver or the Vena Cava. Neoplasia left over time >have
>an increased chance of further changes which may become malignant (I
>know that one of the >vets said something about this is a past post
>but cam't recall details). If there are behavior changes >the
>individual can suffer from increasing social isolation. A male can
>develop prostate problems and >perhaps even become unable to
>urinate. A female may have repeated or chronic vaginal infections
>or >UTIs. The skin may develop sores and also become incredibly
>itchy. And so on...
 
BTW: This will also interest you since there is some on-going research
which is intriguing but the research isn't completed enough to come to
firm conclusions yet: http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG5238
 
I am not a vet, let along a ferret expert one, but Dr. Bruce Williams
sure is!
 
>Also, he said he saw a statistic that 1 in 10 ferrets die during or
>shortly after surgery.
 
Gads, even 20 years ago the death rate for many vets for surgeries on
ferrets was lower than that -- about 1 in 15 (though I recall hearing 1
in 10 among some 2 decades ago) but that was BEFORE people knew which
anesthesias to avoid, the risk of temperature drop in them, etc.  In 21
years with ferrets we have had ONE ferret die shortly after surgery and
that was NOT because of the surgery.  She'd had advanced lymphoma which
showed symptoms very late in the illness and there were no indications
that it was as bad as it was.  These days it would take a vet who ONLY
did the most risky of types of surgeries (not your standard adrenal
surgeries), one who was a crummy surgeon, or one who didn't know squat
about operating on ferrets (Okay, I guess that not learning beforehand
also fits in as being a crummy surgeon.) to lose 10% of the ferrets.
 
Since your friend's ferret sounds like there is tail fur loss only
adrenal neoplasia may not be involved.
[Posted in FML issue 4211]