What happens when adrenal disease is not treated? The ferrets suffer; and it is abusive. Why and how? Read below. http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG5054 START QUOTE Actually tonight I am working on a promised article to Ferrets Mag about adrenal disease. But 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 END QUOTE Now, let's get into the more serious results: Gastric ulcers were mentioned above and I know a number of people here can tell you that those can become fatal at times, and can be very hard to manage when they get bad. Urinary blockage: Fatal if the bladder bursts and usually fatal if the urine backs up the kidneys and causes hydronephrosis; extremely painful. (BTW, ferrets with adrenal disease can also be more prone to UTIs, too, esp. females and bad enough ones can block through inflammation though that is rare. Urinary blockages are usually of males with enlarged prostates.. Anemia from bone marrow toxicosis: Usually fatal; very hard to treat once it begins. Possible further alteration of the growth to become malignant Less commonly there can even be fat in the thoracic cavity, impinging on the function of the heart, lungs, or both. Ferrets with adrenal disease can do some very non-standard fat patterns. Most common is that they become emaciated around the thorax but fat in the abdomen. (This also is lousy for body heat management and discomfort from that -- not just from not being able to move around well.) Approaches for ferrets with adrenal disease: surgery (usually best); Core meds: Suprelorin/deslorilin in countries which have it, Lupron, and melatonin. Approaches when there is anemia from bone marrow toxicosis: if safe enough get that diseased adrenal out pronto; bone marrow transplant can be done (See FHL Archives) but it takes a few days to kick in; blood transfusion preferably from a large ferret (Ferrets do not have blood types.). Meds: Lupron and melatonin to stop stimulation of adrenal by pituitary, Arimidex to inhibit estrogens (Both genders have both androgens and estrogens; estrogens are the usual culprits for marrow toxicosis and for prostate swelling secondary to adrenal disease.), Epogen and Procrit to stimulate the bone marrow to make more marrow cells, supplementary iron and B vitamins. Those are NOT either/or. A ferret with bone marrow toxicosis should be expected to need all stops pulled out to get the ferret well enough to undergo surgery. (If the ferret is among the less common ones who have excess androgens then Casodex can be considered, but that is more commonly useful in male ferrets with enlarged prostates or aggressiveness, or both. Other things to do, besides Casodex, when a swollen prostate from adrenal disease results in urinary blockage: have vet remove urine with a needle and do emergency adrenal surgery. Left too long if it is not blocking fully, the prostate may form a cyst and those require much more tricky surgery so that they can drain constantly. Meds: Propecia/ Proscar, Lupron and melatonin. Sometimes Flomax may be tried (Not an established use but one vet has mentioned trying it for when the situation is dire.) -- Sukie (not a vet) Ferret Health List co-moderator http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth FHL Archives fan http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ replacing http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org International Ferret Congress advisor http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 5112]