I have two elderly adrenal boys. Neither are good candidates for surgery. I've already written about Sam, who lost his hair. He was so frail, I didn't have the heart to restrict him, so he is free roam. Sam's a vegetarian at heart. He loves chewing on vegetables. Like Puma, his reaction to being offered anything that looked like it might have been alive was to wrinkle his nose, sneer slightly, look aside, then look at me like I was trying to poison him. Even moistening his kibble with chicken broth doesn't fool him into trying it. I got him to try a taste when I also added ferretone, but then he shook his head, backed off, and gave me another of those looks. So I decided to let him have what he wanted, which was dried cranberries, dried blueberries, a cheerio now and again, and kibble from the cat bowl (which he likes better than ferret kibble.) In other words, I am a Bad Ferret Mom. Despite this bad diet, Sam has regrown his hair, now goes exploring every once in awhile, and disciplines the girls when their play gets too insistent. He always was the senior ferret. He doesn't waste energy with scruffing or anything like that; he manages with a look (but why should I be surprised? It worked on me.) I've been told that hair regrowth happens sometimes, and is no indication that he's really any better . So I don't take it as that, but I am contented that Sam seems to be enjoying life. Every extra day with him is a gift. Frankie didn't lose his hair, but became aggressive and developed an enlarged prostate. After requiring catheterization, he went on lupron. He recovered slowly, and never got back to his old self. Finally he seemed to lose all interest, and refused to eat. I did not force him to eat, since in my experience fasting is a valid form of medical treatment, and one that animals often turn to instinctively. I just made sure he was still drinking water. I did offer him everything -- ferretone, warmed soup, moistened kibble, baby food, and the yoghurt he had always preferred as a snack. Finally, after three days, he ate the yoghurt. And some ferretone, but he obviously preferred the yoghurt. And he became totally free roam like his buddy Sam. Now, a month or so later, he is active and playful. Yoghurt is still his mainstay, supplemented with cheerios and (occasionally) ferret kibble. He will even eat the occasional cranberry. I didn't expect either of these two boys to live this long. I actually have a sneaking suspicion that the cranberries may have something in them that is helping them, since cranberries are often prescibed to help keep the urinary tract clear in humans, are are in some herbal prostate care compounds. In any case, I don't want to force feed them. I continue to offer them food which is good for them, and every once in awhile they will taste it. I certainly don't advocate a diet of cranberries, yoghurt, and cheerios. If I could get them to eat better food, I would. But long term effects are not really anything I'm concerned about. This diet makes these old guys happy. And keeps them functioning on a healthy level, even though I know those adrenal tumors are still there. In the meantime, I will remain their indulgently Bad Ferret Mom. The girls, on the other hand, are not so indulged. Blatant favoritism, they say. Claire [Posted in FML 5404]