Adrenal disease seems to strike ferrets when they are around 6 years old here in Western Australia.
In America, it seems to affect ferrets at a much earlier age and there is a growing opinion that the early neutering of ferrets contributes to this problem.
The disease progresses slowly and these days the success rates after surgery are quite high, and the ferret has a good chance of complete recovery and a long and happy future.
Some of the things to watch out for are:
Loss of hair, starting at the base of the tail
Muscle loss
Pear-shaped appearance
Alabaster-like skin
Lethargy
Scratching due to itchy skin
Because adrenal disease appears to affect the hormones in various ways, you might find that:
Females with adrenal problems can have swollen vulvas, appearing to be in season even if they have been spayed.
Males can show aggression, even if they have been neutered, and also tend to have prostate problems, so keep an eye on your boy to make sure he isn’t straining in the litter box.
Treatment is usually the removal of the affected gland surgically but if the ferret is not a good candidate for an operation, then it can usually be treated with drugs.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill. It’s only meant to supply general information on a particular illness which was obtained either from personal experience with my sick ferrets, or from books and/or the Internet.
Loss of hair, starting at the base of the tail
