To Lindi concerning various tumors: Lindi, the most common cause of vulvar swelling in females, by far, is an adrenal lesion that is producing excessive estrogen (causing the syndrome known as "adrenal-associated endocrinopathy". Only when that has been addressed (has it been in this case? I can't remember the specifics), should we start looking for ectopic ovarian tissue. Ectopic ovarian tissue is very difficult to find, and in some cases, is never found. Concerning adrenal tumors and lymphosarcoma - yes, I have seen them occur concurrently. Both are very common neoplasms in older ferrets, so it would not be unusual to see them together. One thing that concerns me about blood tests, though. Adrenal tumors very rarely cause characteristic changes in the blood profile (according to Dr Fox's recent excellent article on this condition.) As I have long said - if you have the clincial signs - vulvar swelling, hair loss, etc, schedule the surgery. Also, there is "common knowledge" around in the veterinary fields that elevatedd numbers of lymphocytes in the blood suggest possible or incipient lymphosarcoma. However, I'm not sure where this came from, and I personally don't believe it. High numbers of lymphocytes can also come from chronic infections, and I see chronic Helicobacter infections of the stomach is almost every ferret over the age of 4, which could, and possibly does account for these elevated numbers of lymphocytes. Sure a small number of these animals with elevated lymphocytes go on to develop lymphosarcoma, but a small number of animals without it do too. So be careful when your vet says that elevated lymphocytes means lymphoma. The best way to diagnose lymphoma is to take a lymph node from the back leg (they get along great without them) and look at it underneath the microscope. I occasionally get lymph nodes from the inside of the abdomen to look at because they are big, but they are usually inflamed due to the gastric Helicobacter infection (or this is what is shows in the cases in which both a biopsy of the stomach and the large node was sent. In the cases of when the lymph node was sent without a piece of stomach - I can only surmise this.) The cases of lymphoma diagnosed by a blood test are EXCEEDINGLY rare. I look forward to further news about this case. To everyone concerned about heartworm disease in ferrets. I took a few minutes to call a veterinarian, Dr. Debra Kemmerer in Gainesville Fl, who has been working with heartworm disease in ferrets, and I thought that I would pass on what she has told me. She recommends all ferrets in heartworm endemic areas (ask your vet if your local is heartworm-endemic - generally southern areas have higher rates of heartworms due to increased numbers of mosquitoes). She is currently using ivermectin inthe ferret at the dose of 10 micrograms/lb. She mixes her own liquid formula at 100 mcg/ml, and gives each ferret 1/1`oth of a ml per pound of body weight. The reason she mixes her own is that in the tablet form that most heartworm prevention is available for in dogs, the drug is not spread evenly throughout the tablet, so that if you are breaking the tablet and giving your ferrets a piece of the tablet, you may be giving them too little, or worse, too much. For your vets, prior to using prevention, the ferrets (like dogs) can be tested with antigen kits (not a direct smear, as many infections are "occult" in ferrets, and do not shed the baby worms in the blood, as they do in the dog.) Dr. Kemmerer says that the best (and only) effective test out their is Rhone-Merieux's "Vet-Red Heartworm Detection Kit". All others are either not effective in diagnosing the disease, or need extensive modification. She has been formulating her own preventative in liquid, easy-dosing form for 7 years now, and has NOT seen any side effects. She does caustion, however, that it must be dispensed in an amber bottle, so it doesn't degrade in sunlight. She also advocates that prevention is the way to go here - she expects to lose 50% of the animals treated for heartworm disease. I hope that everyone on the FML will apprise their vets of these comments. For more information about heartworm disease in ferrets, or how to prescribe ivermectin in the ferret, you may contact Dr. Debra Kemmerer at WEst End Animal Veterinary Hospital, Gainesville, FL at 904-332-4357. Bruce Williams [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 0729]