Hormonal problemes ferrets

Hormonal Diseases

Diabetes (Diabetes mellitus)

Introduction:

The body regulates its blood sugar and carbohydrate balance using several hormones. Low blood glucose levels are, even for a short time, incompatible with life but you can use a variety of hormones to increase them. However, blood glucose levels can only be lowered with insulin alone.

Symptoms:

A sustained rise in blood sugar leads to operational problems in many organs, and therefore the symptoms are manifested. The most prominent symptoms are: an increase in drinking (and consequent increase in urination) sweet-smelling breath, lethargy, initial obesity followed by weight loss (chronic disease), hair loss, secondary cystitis, dyskinesia, cataract formation, and shortness of breath.

Diagnosis:

Diabetes is diagnosed with blood and urine tests.

Treatment:

In milder cases a change in dietary nutrition may be sufficient but, in severe cases, insulin therapy is needed. Of course, secondary problems should also be addressed.

Ferret Adrenal Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism)

Introduction:

Ferrets, who were spayed or neutered before sexual maturity, may develop overactive adrenal glands that produce excessive amounts of sex hormones. This leads to symptoms reminiscent of those seen in dogs with Cushing's disease, and is typically seen in late winter or early spring.

Symptoms:

Symmetrical alopecia will arise, occurring first at the base of the tail and extending up the spine, sometimes causing complete baldness with hair only remaining on the head. In females, vulvar swelling, similar to the heat of an intact female, is common. In males, prostate enlargement and aggressive behaviour may be seen.

Prevention and Treatment:

In all cases, spay and neuter surgeries should be done only after sexual maturity is reached.

Today, it is possible to treat this disease with a subcutaneous implant that helps alleviate symptoms of the excessive sex hormones.

Estrogen Toxicity (Hyperestrogenism)

Introduction:

Hyperestrogenism can affect intact females who are kept alone but also males who have diseased adrenal glands. In nature, female ovulation is induced by the act of mating. When this doesn't happen, ovulation doesn't occur resulting in a persistently high blood estrogen level, which can lead to death if untreated.

Symptoms:

The continuous high estrogen levels, which can last for weeks, cause vulvar swelling, vaginal discharge, and symmetrical hair loss. If left untreated, severe anemia, pale mucous membranes, fatigue, and lethargy will occur.

Prevention and Treatment:

To prevent this, it is a good idea to keep ferrets in pairs, however, you must be ready for the constant arrival of babies.

A temporary solution may be to mate the female with a castrated male for hormonal intervention, however in this case a pseudopregnancy could develop.

The only permanent, and most safe, solution is to spay the affected female.