Help!! My 5 year old ferret seems to have an unusual condition....she is nearly bald from her front legs all the way back to the tip of her tail! I don't know why or how to treat this condition. My veterinarian has made many house calls to see Ayla (pronounced Aay-LAH). She was neutered as a kit. My vet thinks that perhaps the veterinarian who originally neutered her didn't do such a great job and might have left some ovarian tissue behind which is still secreating hormones. She went into heat (we believe) last year and he gave her all sorts of drugs to break the heat cycle (Pred was the main drug, I believe). Since then, she has been alone except for my company. He strongly recommended that her male companion (also neutered) be separated immediately from her as his scent might throw her back into heat. She is no longer on drugs except for the "Felovite" paste I give her every other day which contains L-Taurine. I feed her only Iams dry cat food. Now, she seemsto have a small lump/growth on her belly near her back legs. Ayla is scheduled for exploratory surgery near the end of this month or the beginning of next month (March). Not only will the surgery be expensive, but as always, anestisia (sp?) will put her at some risk. My vet is hoping to find any ovarian tissue left behind or perhaps some tumor or growth effecting the endocrine system. Other than her tremedous fur loss and some lethargy, she seems very healthy and certainly has a voracious appetite. Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to putting her in for surgery. If anyone has a ferret who has experienced this condition or knows what is going on, please let me know!!! -- Tyler "I-don't-want-my-ferret-under-the-knife" Greenberg [Posted in FML issue 0420]