From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 1:19 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Subject: FAIML #339; Oct. 5, 1999 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #339; Oct. 5, 1999 Hi there. I'm back from vacation in New Mexico (it was HOT! but fun), so FAIML will commence to come out every other day or so again, as messages dictate. Lynn 1. question about hairloss? 2. Hi 3. Rascal's progress 4. Re: stuff 5. Ferris post The FERRET ADRENAL/INSULINOMA MAILING LIST (FAIML) is a group that's come together to share support and information about adrenal and insulinoma diseases. FAIML comes out in digest format three to six times per week, depending on the number of posts sent, and their urgency. FAIML information is the opinion, only, of subscribers, mostly ferret caretakers. It is not medical advice, comes with no guarantee of accuracy, and is not meant to replace the examination and medical oversight of a qualified veterinarian. If your ferret is sick or exhibiting signs of illness take your fur kid to the most ferret-experienced vet you can find! A ferret-experienced vet is one of the most important services you can provide to your ferret. TO POST: Write POST at the end of your subject heading (the more specific you can be in your subject heading, the better) and send to . URGENT POSTS: If you feel the message is urgent please mark it POST URGENT and I'll send it out to subscribers as soon as I can, then include the message in the next list. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Please write POST ANONYMOUS after your subject heading if you don't want your address or last name published. SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE: Just use the one address for posts, subscription questions, requests, cancellations, comments, etc. The list is run by hand so just send me an e-mail. ADRENAL/INSULINOMA WEBSITE: FAIML ARCHIVES/PHOTOS: Past FAIMLs are being archived, with a search feature, on Michael Janke's adrenal/insulinoma web site: . Michael is also kindly posting pictures of FAIML subscribers and the ferrets at this site in the FAIML Album. Check out his site for more info. PAM GREENE's FERRET FAQs: I suggest people read (and reread) Pamela Greene's Disease FAQ's on Insulin and Adrenal diseases, as they offer a good background. I forward them to all new subscribers, and will gladly send them upon request. I also send the "Disease Package", a file that tells how to get all six of Pamela Greene's FAQs on ferret diseases. Pam also has excellent FAQ's about general ferret care as well, and a link to these may be found on the FERRET CENTRAL web site: . THE FERRET MAILING LIST (FML): The FML has 3,000+ ferret-loving subscribers and the topic is simply ferrets, ferrets, and more ferrets. Moderated by Mr. Bill Gruber, it's a great source of ferret entertainment and information. Visit FERRET CENTRAL on the web (see paragraph above) for more info on the FML. To subscribe to the FML, send email to its moderator, Bill Gruber, at and ask to be added. You can also try subscribing automatically by sending email to with the command SUBSCRIBE FERRET in the body of the email. 1. Subject: question about hairloss? From: "Megan O'Shaughnessy" Date sent: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 14:22:56 -0700 Is it normal for a supposed-adrenal ferret who has lost almost all of his fur to suddenly sprout a nice, even, colorful new coat??? My other kids are blowing their coats, too...so I figure it's a seasonal thing, but I didn't expect Tracer to suddenly get all his hair back. I'm delighted about it, of course....just puzzled. Megan 2. Subject: Hi From: Mary Oyer Date sent: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 13:53:03 -0500 I've been on the list for a little while and thought it was time to introduce myself. My husband and I have 7 ferrets. We founded Peoria Area Ferret Connection near Peoria, Illinois about 4 years ago. One of our ferrets, Rosie, is currently taking the Lupron injections. She seems to be responding to the injections and the vet decided not to give her another injection till she starts showing clinical signs of adrenal disease again. We checked her blood glucose about 4 weeks ago. She hadn't been fasted, and in fact was eating when the vet came in the exam room to look at her. Her glucose level was 35. Hard to say what it would have been if we had fasted her. Rosie will be 7 years old on January 4th. This is her first real health related problems. The symtoms of adrenal disease started about last January - just in time for her 6th birthday. Because her symptoms came on so quickly and she got weak so fast, we opted not for surgery. She started the Lupron in May. One of our other ferrets, Chryssie, who turned 4 years old in May, started showing signs of adrenal disease around the same time Rosie did. With two of our other ferrets, we went in and did surgery right away when they started showing signs of the disease. The vet said their adrenals were slightly enlarged, but not bad. He kind of made me feel as though we put them through needless surgery. For that reason, I waited with Chryssie. She had adrenal surgery this past Monday morning. The vet left a message on our answering machine yesterday afternoon and said he had gotten Chryssies pathology report. He said her adrenal was malignant. We have had 12 surgeries over the past 7 years and none of the adrenal surgeries has come back malignant, Chryssie is our first. Chryssie has had a rough week trying to recover. She is recovering much slower than any other ferret we have had go through surgery. Sorry this is so long, but I was wondering what direction to go next with Chryssie. I was so blind-sided by her diagnosis that I really don't know what to do next. I would appreciate any constructive advice. Thanks Mary 3. Subject: Rascal's progress From: KIMBERLY WILLIAMS Date sent: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 22:51:23 -0700 Rascal is getting better it seems. It has taken awhile for him to come around from his adrenal surgery. He still lays down and can't really keep up with the other ferrets, but he is taking raisins again, which is a good sign. His eyes seem better and he just seems wide awake now. A couple of weeks ago I was worried. he is going in for repeat blood tests tomorrow. They are going to be doing a fasting blood sugar on him (all his glucose levels have been normal, but we've never fasted him, so we thought we'd check just to make sure) Of course they will do a CBC and liver profile to compare with the last ones. I have heard from several of you that he might have a heart condition and I am starting to lean toward that. All the symptoms point in that direction. Plus, my vet said that might be the reason why he lays around so much. (she said this BEFORE the surgery) what i did notice is every time I decreased his dose of steriods, he seems to do better. he's not so lethargic. I now have him on 1/4 ml every other day, for another 14 days, then we are done!! It will have been 5 weeks since the surgery by then.(maybe 6? I forget about the time) I hope this all sounds about the normal time frame for adrenal surgery. No hair coming back on his behind yet, but i suppose it will be a while longer. I am concerned though because he still itches like crazy. I can't figure out what the problem is. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd appreciate it. My other 3 ferrets are just fine, no scratching or anything and there is no hint of fleas at all, they don't go outside etc etc. KIM and her furry bunch 4. Subject: Re: stuff From: "Karen Purcell, DVM" Date sent: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 07:34:12 +0000 Jenna, > SNIP> Well, she had surgery done last Monday to remove > the squamous cell carcinoma (thank goodness it seemed to be very > localized); she seemed to be doing well but had a bit of a setback > and had to undergo surgery again last Thursday. Well since then I > haven't really thought much of the insulinoma (especially since her > glucose levels have been above 100 on the past couple of blood > test), however I finally got to bring her home Monday and I have > noticed she has lost quite a bit of hair loss on her tail. I was > wondering if the stress or maybe the insulinoma might cause this > hair loss. I am REALLY hoping it is not adrenal because I don't > think I can handle 3 cancers all at once! And if it is adrenal, is > there anything we can do to check for it, or do I just have to wait > till she loses a ton of hair? Thanks! Stress can certainly cause hair loss, and tail shedding does not always lead to adrenal disease, so this is most likely a wait and see situation. However, to clarify things - insulinoma does not (and should not) cause hair loss. That is related to the hormone production from either the reproductive tract or the adrenals. Andy, >SNIP> > > Now she is starting to exhibit signs of adrenal disease as well. > Thinning hair on the lower back and paws. Her tail has been almost > bald for about 2 years. No swollen vulva though. > >SNIP>> > I'm leaning towards not doing surgery because of her age. It's all > very confusing because I can never seem to get a straight answer on > expected life spans for ferrets. What would you do? Any good > medications or options to control these diseases? I don't recommend surgery except in rare cases, for ferrets older than 6 years of age, especially after 1 year on pred. Lupron may be your best, least damaging choice. Kimberly, > >SNIP> > I know this is weird case scenario. Has anyone else even heard > about "bisexual ovaries?" and was that even the case here? Ovaries and testes arise from the same embryonic tissue, they differentiate under the affects or absence of testosterone. If something happens to change the hormone concentration at a critical time, an animal that looks externally female can have either mixed tissue ovaries (ovotestes) or actual testes in the abdomen. Sounds like you had a ferret with the first scenario. We don't know how common this is, as the ovaries often appear normal, and we don't send normal tissue for biopsy. I hope this clears up some of your questions at least. If not, feel free to contact me directly via email. -Dr. Karen drkaren@world.std.com 5. Subject: Ferris post From: "Thor Hansen" Date sent: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:59:56 -0700 Hi Celeste, It sounds like you have done just about everything in the book....You could try one more thing, Ask to try Albon, it is used for coccidia and something else i cannot remember the name of, but i do know it can be hard to test for it, and a lot of the time you are lucky if they actually do find it. Ever since Truls had surgery for intestinal blockage he had problems with his tummy, he would have diahrreah off and on, and a seedy looking poop, he would skip a meal or two and was loosing weight, i brought him in for checkups, stool samples, and even I couldn't really suggest anything for the urinary infection he has, but i do know that sometimes when you have been on a lot of antibiotics the healthy bacteria gets destroyed and leads to urinary infections, you may want to try to give him yohgurt, or b Please consult with your vet before giving any of the things i have mencioned, as i am not a vet, and i would not want to harm your fuzzie, but i know how difficult it is to feel so helpless and how nervewrecking this long lasting diahrreah is. i hope this can be of any help to you, keep us posted OK? Sincerely Josephine --------------------- End of FAIML #339 -------------------------