[Moderator's note: Part 1 appeared yesterday. Today's "part 2" was sent in 2 pieces and combined. BIG] First, many thanks to all the wonderful people that wrote to me since my posting part 1. (Many asked for the address of the research fund (big smile here!) but Sukie already posted them it in today's FML.) The next thing I found out about Aleutian Disease is that it's an expensive disease; at least it has been for me. The first tests through United cost about $250.00 altogether. I tested before finding out that you could order a kit and send samples yourself, without having to use a vet. So, I had 5, maybe 6, ferrets that were positive for ADV. What exactly did that mean? No one really knows, but rumors flew, i.e. the test was inaccurate, there were a lot of false positives as well as false negatives; few ferrets that tested positive ever became ill - that was from an old study done by Dr. Susan Brown; possibly ferrets that were tested shortly after being vaccinated for distemper tested positive due to that; certain "5 in 1" distemper vaccinations could cause a positive result; if a ferret didn't become ill after about 18 months, he/she was safe, although he/she could possibly transmit the virus... the list of rumors was endless. In my endless conversations with vets who are fairly knowledgeable about ADV, I found that the test from United is about 90% accurate. Ferrets that are positive for ADV can test positive, then negative, then positive, etc., depending on the stage. No on really knew how many ferrets that tested positive became ill. Distemper vaccinations, no matter what kind, do not cause a positive test result (this from Dr. Williams). White Russian didn't become ill with AD until he was over 4 years old. (I've been told that other illnesses can sometimes trigger the disease itself). Charmin' Charlie became ill first... long before the "scare" began. Charlie came to me in March of 1999 at 4 months old. At 5 months, he was almost 4 lb. In August of 1999, he became lethargic, didn't want to eat, and didn't seem to be pooping much. I found a rubber ball my granddaughter had dropped with a piece bitten out of it, so Charlie was rushed to the vet. He had lost 300 grams since his last vet visit 3 months before. Upon physical examination, Charlie seemed to experience discomfort when the vet felt his abdomen. Emergency surgery was performed, but there was no blockage. Everything looked normal. After a few weeks or so, Charlie began feeling better, but began acting terrified of everything... sometimes even me. Eventually, Charlie wasted down to about 2 lb. We ran a complete blood work up at one point and found Charlie had elevated lymphocytes, an elevated white blood count, one elevated liver enzyme and hypergammaglobulemia (ratio of gamma globulin to total protein). I knew what horrible news that was. Hypergammaglobulemia is "the hallmark of Aleutian Disease". I was devastated... Charlie is the baby here. The only other diseases that cause hypergammaglobulemia are certain types of bone marrow cancer, and they're very rare. Since his lowest weight, Charlie has gradually gained a few grams here and there... probably due to numerous helpings of Bob C's chicken gravy. Charlie now, however, has symptoms of early chronic kidney failure. More tests had to be run. Charlie isn't concentrating his urine quite normally. He also developed a strange cough/choking noise when he ate. X-rays showed an enlarged heart, which was pushing his trachea out of place, and what might be a small amount of fluid in his chest. Charlie needs frequent x-rays to keep track of this so we know when and if medication will be needed. White Russian became ill between Christmas and New Year of 1999. He became lethargic, didn't want to eat and didn't seem to be pooping much. He developed a terrible "barking" cough. X-rays showed his lungs were clear and his heart looked good. Several weeks of antibiotics and daily nebulizer treatments finally helped. I had a complete blood work up done on him, but other than being a bit low on calcium, everything looked fine. The strange thing is that about every 2 months or so, Russian has a terrible fit of "barking/coughing". Then he'd be fine for a few months. Russian began displaying signs of aggression during the spring of this year. Eventually, he had to be removed from his cage and cage mates. Although aggression is not a known symptom of AD, no one could say that it was "not" a symptom, so a Tennessee Panel was run, which showed that his hydroxy progesterone was elevated. Russian "probably" has adrenal disease. By this time, Russian had had another blood work up, which showed hypergammaglobulemia. Surgery is NOT recommended for ferrets with AD, due to their compromised immune systems. Russian got his first 4 month depot injection of Lupron 3 weeks ago. ($300.00). So far, the aggression is still there. Dr. Karen Purcell told me at the symposium that Casodex may stop the aggression. My vet called and found that the ferret gets the medication once a day until the symptoms subside, then once a day every other week for life. One month's cost is $125.00. Since Lupron can take up to 4 weeks to ease symptoms, I'm praying that there's a BIG change in the next week. I just want him to be able to be with his friends again for the remainder of his life, but I don't see how I can afford the Casodex. Personally, I am not 100% convinced that Russian is adrenal... he has no other symptoms. Aggression "could" be a new symptom of AD (the outbreak in Texas had new symptoms). The only way, of course, to know for sure would be do exploratory surgery... but he might not survive that. Even Dr. Weiss could not say for sure that the Lupron wouldn't harm Russian, but he felt "it shouldn't". (No one has ever done studies on adrenal ferrets with AD). To be continued... Judy [Posted in FML issue 3189]