NAVLE Nuggets: Common Ferret Diseases

Case number one.

Imagine you're presented with a middle-aged ferret.

The owner says that he's starting to lose his hair.

You examine him and notice symmetrical alopecia, especially over the tail and rump.

He's also showing some behavioral changes.

If it's a male, you might notice difficulty urinating or signs of renewed sexual behavior.

And if it's a female, you might notice a swollen vulva.

What is your top differential? The answer is adrenal gland disease, also called hyperadrenocorticism.

But here's your first Navly pearl.

Ferret hyperadrenocorticism does not equal canine Cushing's disease.

In ferrets specifically, adrenal gland disease involves excessive production of sex hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, rather than excessive cortisol production we typically see with canine Cushing's.

The classic sign is symmetrical alopecia.

Hair loss often begins around the tail, rump, and can progress cranially.

Other signs include swollen vulva and enlarged nipples in females, return of sexual behavior, aggression, and difficulty urinating in males.

Urinary obstruction can also occur because of prostatic enlargement or periurethral or periprostatic cysts.

Severe estrogen elevation can also result in bone marrow suppression.

So how do we diagnose adrenal disease in ferrets? A presumptive diagnosis is often based on our history, clinical science, and physical exam findings, specifically that symmetrical alopecia is something we'll commonly see.

Ultrasound is particularly useful for evaluating the adrenal glands and determining whether One or both glands are affected.

You can also measure adrenal sex hormones including androstadione, estradiol, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone.

But remember this, elevated adrenal hormones don't necessarily distinguish adrenal disease from an ovarian remnant in a female ferret.

So how do we treat adrenal disease? Treatment options include surgery or long-acting GnRH analogs.

The treatment choice depends on the individual ferret and whether one or both adrenal glands are affected, and obviously the financial capabilities of the owner.

Here is your NAVLE memory trick to remember ferret adrenal disease.

Ferret adrenal disease equals hairless and hormonal.

Think symmetrical alopecia, swollen vulva, sexual behavior and prostatic disease in males, and overall excess sex hormones.