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Adrenal Gland Disease In Ferrets

© Pam McInnis

You cannot surf a ferret-related web site or curl up with your favorite ferret magazine without coming across the term "adrenal gland disease." Unfortunately, this illness is common enough in these animals that as a ferret owner, you stand a pretty good chance of coming face to face with it as your pet ages.

WHAT IS ADRENAL GLAND DISEASE?

This illness is caused by a tumor growing on the adrenal gland. In some cases, tumors or hyperplasias may actually affect both adrenal glands. In his overview of this disease at his Ferret Doctor website (www.ferretdoctor.com), Dr. Charles Weiss states that "In this condition, the effected adrenal gland produces an excess of sex steroids which result in the myriad of clinical conditions present with this disease. This is a chronic, debilitating disease which can greatly effect the ferret's quality of life."

Adrenal gland disease strikes most often in ferrets over three years of age, but younger ferrets have been known to suffer from the condition.

WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL SIGNS?

HAIR LOSS

One of the most common and noticeable symptoms of adrenal gland disease in ferrets is hair loss. Hair loss usually starts on the ferret's tail, and in some cases will progress until the creature is almost totally bald.

Hair loss is what made me realize that my ferret Weaz was in the early stages of adrenal gland disease. In the period of just a few weeks, his tail went from full and fluffy to almost completely bare. In Weaz's case, he didn't suffer hair loss anywhere else. The poor guy just developed a rat tail. The image here shows typical tail balding in an adrenal ferret.

Because hair loss is the most common and recognizable symptom of adrenal disease, other signs are often overlooked. However, a ferret can suffer from adrenal disease and not experience hair loss. It is important to also be aware of other changes in your ferret's physique or behavior.

LETHARGY

An adrenal ferret will often spend more time sleeping than usual. This can be hard to notice, since ferrets spend up to 14 hours a day sleeping anyway! But a ferret who has lost interest in playtime with you or other ferrets is cause for concern.

ITCHINESS

Although this is not an overly common symptom, some ferrets with adrenal gland disease develop a problem with dry, itchy skin. If you notice that your ferret spends more time scratching than normal, a visit to the vet may be in order. Another hard to recognize symptom is an increased dryness and reddish hue to the ferret's feet.