Adrenal Disease in Ferrets: Causes, Signs, Treatment & Prevention
Adrenal Disease in Ferrets: Causes, Signs, Treatment & Prevention
In the ferret, adrenal disease – or hyperadrenocorticism – most commonly occurs when a tumor or lesion on the adrenal glands causes an overproduction of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands. Adrenal disease is most common in ferrets over the age of three years, but it can affect ferrets as young as a year old. Adrenal disease is one of the most prevalent ferret diseases, and there is no definitive test for it. Ferret owners need to know as much as possible about it to be able to recognize it and help the ferret after he is diagnosed by the veterinarian.
CAUSES
While we don’t know for sure what exactly causes adrenal disease in ferrets, most theories point to two possible causes:
Spaying and neutering at a young age
Many large ferret breeders spay or neuter ferrets at the age of 5 or 6 weeks, which may cause the ferret’s body to overcompensate for the lack of normal sex hormones. Adrenal disease has occurred in ferrets that are spayed or neutered after they have reached sexual maturity, but it is not nearly as common.
Extended photoperiods
Most ferrets have been forced to adapt to their owner’s lifestyle and are exposed to at least four or five hours of artificial light in the evening in addition to the natural light during the day. This limits the time they spend in darkness, which decreases melatonin production. Too little melatonin results in overstimulation of the adrenal glands. Ferrets should have no less than 12 hours of complete darkness throughout a 24 hour period.
When a ferret develops adrenal disease, it is most likely the combination of a variety of factors. In addition to environmental factors, some ferrets are probably genetically predisposed to developing adrenal gland cancer.
SIGNS
Hair loss or hair thinning – at the base of the tail, on his feet, on his belly, in an obvious pattern, or in a patchy appearance – are classic signs of adrenal disease. There are multiple causes for hair loss in ferrets, but a ferret owner should always suspect adrenal disease and report this to his or her veterinarian, especially if the ferret is 3 years of age or older. However, while hair loss is the classic sign of adrenal disease, not all ferrets will have this sign.
Unlike other diseases, there is not a standard set of signs that a ferret with adrenal disease will always display. The range of signs that your ferret shows will depend on where the tumor is on his adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce many hormones, so the location of the tumor will affect which hormones are overproduced. The types of hormones that are overproduced determines which signs you will see.
Here are the various signs of adrenal disease:
Hair loss, either in a symmetrical pattern or patchy with no apparent pattern *
Thinning hair
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Papery thin or translucent looking skin, sometimes with sores from scratching
Excessive scratching and itchiness
Increase in musky body odor
Excessive grooming of self or other ferrets, including ear sucking
Sexual aggression and mating behavior in neutered males – with other ferrets, inanimate objects, etc.
Swollen vulva in spayed females
Difficulty urinating for males – this is a sign of an enlarged prostate, a condition usually associated with adrenal disease
Weakness in back legs – usually seen in advanced or extreme cases
Increased thirst, increased urination
Weight loss due to a decrease in muscle mass, but with a pot bellied appearance
* It is important to note that you may see partial or complete hair regrowth without treatment. This does not mean that your ferret is fine, it just means that the hormonal imbalances have balanced out again, probably due to a season change. The hormones will become unbalanced again, and hair loss will occur, usually more severe than before.
Always remember that you can see any combination of these signs – there is no set group of signs! Keep an eye on your ferrets as they grow older, watching for any symptoms or odd behavior. Something as seemingly innocuous as your ferret running from litter box to litter box trying to go to the bathroom should result in a trip to the veterinarian.
DIAGNOSING ADRENAL DISEASE
If your veterinarian has a lot of experience with ferrets or if your ferret has the traditional hair loss, he or she may be able to diagnose your ferret through clinical signs (symptoms).
Your veterinarian may decide to use the Adrenal Panel run by the University of Tennessee, often referred to as the “Tennessee Panel,” in cases where adrenal disease is