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Ferrets - Adrenal Disease Complex
Ferrets are extremely prone to a disorder of their adrenal glands that causes an imbalance of hormones. One or both adrenal glands may be hyperactive due to a tumor (either benign or malignant) or hyperplasty (a period of excessive growth for reasons we do not fully understand).
Ferrets with adrenal disease complex show some characteristic changes due to the hormonal changes cause by the hyperactive adrenal glands. These typically include cause hair loss (alopecia), a swollen belly that drags on the grounds, loss of muscles, and thin skin.
Ferret with enlarged hairless abdomen due to adrenal disease complex.
Same ferret as above showing almost complete hair loss on tail and extensive hair loss on back.
Some ferrets may turn bald except for small patches of hair on their legs.
Small patches of hair loss on either side of the neck may be early signs of adrenal disease.
Male ferrets often have trouble urinating due to prostate enlargement while female ferrets may develop enlarged vulvas and have signs of being in heat. Left untreated, the disease gets worse over time.
Ferret with a swollen vulva due to adrenal disease complex.
Diagnosing Adrenal Disease
The clinical signs of hair loss, thin skin, and abdominal enlargement strongly support a diagnosis of adrenal disease. Diagnostic tests such a sex hormone analysis and an abdominal ultrasound will confirm if adrenal disease is indeed present as well as whether the left or right or both adrenal glands are affected. Pre-surgical screening bloodwork will help assess your ferret's suitability for surgery. Additional tests may be needed based on your ferret's physical examination.
Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital Offers Several Treatment Options
Many ferrets are excellent candidates for surgery to remove the adrenal gland that is causing the problem. In rare cases, both adrenal glands may need to be removed. Hormonal treatment with leuprolide acetate (Lupron) and melatonin (Ferretonin) or deslorelin (a new implant that may last a year or longer) are usually effective medical therapies for ferrets that are poor surgical risks or are otherwise unable to have surgery.
You can see how close this tumor of the right adrenal gland is to the largest vein in the body.
The left adrenal gland is easily removed most of the time and is known as a left-sided adrenalectomy. The right adrenal gland is situated very close to a major abdominal vessel (the vena cava). If the right side is afflicted, the gland typically cannot be removed in a single operation without risking a fatal laceration of the blood vessel. The right adrenal gland can be debulked, a surgery where the majority of the gland is removed but small pieces of it are left behind and may regrow. The better option is for an ameroid constrictor band to be placed around the vena cava at one surgery and a second surgery in 42-45 days is performed that completely removes the right adrenal gland. In some ferrets it is appropriate to remove both adrenal glands even if only one is affected since there is a risk that the remaining one will develop problems.
We carry deslorelin implants, leuprolide acetate injections, and melatonin implants to medically manage afflicted ferrets. We also offer surgical options including left-sided adrenalectomies, right-sided adrenal debulking surgeries, the ameroid constrictor band right-sided full adrenalectomies, and bilateral adrenalectomies.
New drugs and treatment regimens are being explored across the country and we stay current with cutting edge information to offer you the best possible choices for your ferret's treatments.
Preventing Adrenal Disease By Exams Every January
Recent research indicates that there are annual treatments that can significantly reduce the risk of your ferret contracting this serious disease. We strongly recommend an annual examination every January for all ferrets where we can administer the prophylactic treatments and make sure your ferret is in tip top shape!
Copyright 2010, Kevin Wright and Jay Johnson
Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital
744 N Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85201
info@azeah.com
(480) 275 7017
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