Triangle Ferret Lovers Newsletter

Issue 9, July/August 1996

Our goal is to promote the welfare of the domestic ferret through public awareness, and increase the enjoyment of ferret ownership by providing information and activities.

Table of Contents

  1. Why is My Ferret Going Bald?
  2. New Meeting Location For August!
  3. July Meeting Notes
  4. The Six Most Common Ways Ferrets Escape From Homes
  5. Annual TriFL Membership
  6. A Practical Guide To Ferret Care by Deborah Jeans
  7. Life At Boarding Camp - Creative Writing
  8. Ferret Jerkey
  9. 1996 Triangle Area Vet Survey Results
  10. Ferret Sitters Needed!
  11. Shelter Information and Contacts
  12. Ferret Web Pages
  13. Newsletter Address

Why Is My Ferret Going Bald?

 While hair loss in the ferret can occur from many causes, the most common reason for serious hair loss is proliferative lesions of the ferret adrenal gland. Ferrets with adrenal lesions typically all show the same clinical signs regardless of which type of growth is present. These signs are fairly diagnostic, and in the majority of cases, are so characteristic that no other diagnostic tests are required before therapy is instituted. Adrenal lesions may be seen in animals ranging from one to seven years of age, with the average being around 3.5 years. Hair loss, or alopecia, is by far the most common clinical sign in affected ferrets. Hair loss often begins at the tail, and progresses forward over the trunk, flanks, and abdomen, until hair is only present on the neck, head, and the extremities. Additionally, in spayed females, the vulva will often become swollen to the extent that the owner may erroneously believe that the animal is in estrus. (Vulvar swelling in a spayed female on its own is sufficient cause to warrant abdominal exploratory surgery). Other clinical signs that may be seen in ferrets with adrenal lesions include increased scratching, excessive drinking and urination, anemia, weight loss, and in long-standing cases, difficulty in using the hind legs. The cause of the hair loss and vulvar swelling is not currently known. The treatment for adrenal disease in ferrets primarily involves removal of the affected adrenal gland. Routine pre-surgical blood work should be performed in all animals over 4 years of age, as would be done for any other type of surgical procedure. In most cases, one gland is noticeably larger than the other and is removed. Removal of one adrenal gland is generally well tolerated in ferrets and in most of these cases, if disease is confined to that gland, clinical signs will cease (i.e., the hair will grow back and the swollen vulva will diminish to its previous size). Ferrets require at least a portion of one adrenal gland to live. (Just because both of the adrenals are enlarged doesn't necessarily mean that both are involved.) Removal of the left adrenal is fairly easy and has a low risk of complication. Due to the position of the right adrenal near several large blood vessels, it is a more difficult surgery and requires considerably more expertise on the part of the surgeon. As always, if your veterinarian has little expertise in performing this surgery, it is wise to ask for a referral to a more experienced surgeon. In cases in which surgical excision of the offending adrenal gland is not an option, medical treatment with certain drugs that kill off a large portion of the cells of the adrenal cortex may be tried. This form of treatment should be reserved only for those animals who are poor surgical candidates. After surgical removal, the changes seen in ferrets with adrenal disease are cumulative and progressive. Animals with adrenal lesions do not just lose their hair - they also lose muscle mass, and have little energy. Adrenal disease in the ferret is common, and if detected by a watchful owner or a knowing practitioner, can be easily treated. Get those hairless ferrets checked.

New Meeting Location For August!

 NEW MEETING LOCATION FOR AUGUST! Mark you calendar for the next TriFL meeting: Saturday, August 3rd at Shari Gunter's home in Raleigh. You can bring your up-to-date vaccinated, non-aggressive ferret/s with a water bottle, food, and litter box for group playtime in Chipper & Gina's playroom from 10:30am-11:00am. Place your fuzzballs back into their carrier, and our meeting will begin at 11:00am-12:00pm. CALL FOR DIRECTIONS: (w) 872-1174, (h) 231-3222, (fax) 872-9214, or e-mail ShariDiane@aol.com.

Seriously ferret folks, we are still in need of a permanent meeting place. If you know of a place we could use once a month for a couple of hours, please contact a TriFL member listed in this newsletter.

July Meeting Notes

 None! Everyone was busy with the booth-attending at the Festival for the Eno during the July 4th holiday weekend. Therefore, Dawson Heath generously offered up pictures of his beautiful female sable, Corky, for newsletter space fill-in!

The Six Most Common Ways Ferrets Escape From Homes
  1. Pushing open a window screen or unlatched door or scratching through a hole.
  2. Crawling out the dryer vent.
  3. Finding a way to the water pipes under cabinets and bathtubs.
  4. Hitching a ride in a purse, bag, or trash can.
  5. Squirming loose from a collar or leash.
  6. Jumping or falling off balconies.

ANNUAL TriFL MEMBERSHIP FEE IS ONLY $15. Membership fees help to defray newsletter production, mailing costs to members, vets, and pet stores, as well as, information packets, booth fees, mailbox rental, and a display exhibit with signage. TriFL is vital in providing ferret lovers information on care and activities. Membership cards will be available by the first of July, and pet store discounts have been obtained. If you want to be a TriFL member, please send your dues to Heather Hildebrandt, 2813 Shaftsbury Street, Durham, NC 27704.

A Practical Guide To Ferret Care by Deborah Jeans

The 2nd edition of "A Practical Guide To Ferret Care" by Deborah Jeans is now available through TriFL and Rogues Gallery Ferret Shelter. This informative and up-to-date book on ferrets is available to TriFL members for 15% of the cover price - $19.50, and non-members $22.95. All proceeds from the sale of this popular book go to benefit Rogues Gallery Ferret Shelter emergency medical fund. Call Karen Marsh-Lovvorn to order your book @ 596-9393.

Life At Boarding Camp

 Creative writing by Karen Marsh-Lovvorn, Rogues Gallery Dear Mom & Dad: When the "Concierge" here at the resort told me you asked about me I was so happy I just dooked & danced all over the place! Whoopee!! A letter from Mom & Dad! After you left for R.G. Teena and I was sad and didn't want to eat our kibble, but everyone gave me extra hugs and treats and now I feel MUCH better!

My vacation has been pretty good so far. I love to pose in my hammock, sipping Ferretone cocktails while all the cute boy ferrets admire my beautiful coat. Everyone's really nice her, and every day my friends and I get together by the pool to share the latest gossip about the best hidey holes for treats and toys. (Well, actually, it's not the pool, it's a big water bowl, but it sure is fun to play in!) Guess what? I got to go on a field trip to a really exciting place called "Outside!" Wow, what a BIG place that is! And all the leaves and burrowing in the grass. What fun! [But a little too hot in the summer time, better for the Fall and Spring.]

Well, I've got to go now. The doorbell is ringing and that means visitors are coming. We have a lot of visitors here at Rogues Gallery. I have to go preen my fur and get ready to meet some new fuzzies! Write me back soon!

Love, your fert, Slick

Ferret Jerkey

 Use a lean brisket and slice it into thin strips, removing all fat in the process. Soak the cut meat in water containing Ferretone (about 1 tablespoon per liter) and smoke flavoring. Then spread out the meat on drying trays, spray with lemon juice, and dry in the dehydrator. (Or use the oven set at 150F with the door propped open - make sure your ferret is secured in another area of your home, e.g. their cage!). The Ferretone adds flavor (the drying process may destroy the vitamins; don't know) as does the liquid smoke. The lemon juice acts as an anti-oxidant for whatever fats that are left behind. When dry, cut the jerky with scissors into strips about 1/4 inch wide and 1 inch long. Give each ferret one or two strips a day. It's a hoot to see the furred-snakes with their noses working the air when the lid to the jerky tin is opened. Use the same recipe with chicken and turkey.

1996 Triangle Area Vet Survey Results

 compiled by Jeff Johnston Several months ago Triangle Ferret Lovers sent surveys to Triangle-area veterinarians to see what services they offered to care for ferrets. Nineteen vets responded: 10 in Raleigh, 6 in Durham, 2 in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, and 1 in Butner. The vets responding reported they see an average of 29 ferrets a year, however, some said they saw as few as one ferret per year, whereas one said she saw about 200 ferrets a year! The vets who responded said, on average, they had been seeing ferrets for more than nine years, with a range from 2.5 to 20 years.

Most vets (81%) said they provided basic care for ferrets. Not all vet offer such care because some specialty clinics were included in the survey that specialize in emergency care. One-half of the vets surveyed said they perform surgery on ferrets and approximately two-thirds offer advanced care or diagnostics. Fewer than one-half offer emergency care or after-hours service.

All vets offered rabies vaccinations to ferrets, but only 90% said they use Imrab-3, the only vaccine approved by the U.S. government. Unless your ferret has had a bad reaction to Imrab-3, your vet should use the recommended vaccine to help keep your pet from being destroyed if it should ever bite someone. Similarly, all vets who responded said they offered canine distemper vaccines. Unlike the situation with rabies, in rare instances, ferret owners have reported severe reactions to the approved distemper vaccine for ferrets, Fervac-D.

Approximately two-thirds of local vets use this vaccine. About one-third use another vaccine or multiple types. If your vet only uses Fervac-D, and your ferret has had a serious reaction to the vaccination, you may want to ask your vet about using a different vaccine. Also, pre-medicating your ferret with Benedryl (diphenhydramine) 20-30 minutes before the vaccination may help to reduce the severity of a reaction. Contact your vet or TriFL if you have any specific questions about vaccine reactions and pre-medications.

The vets who received the survey were asked which veterinary services they perform on ferrets. Most vets (76%) spay and neuter ferrets, although many ferret vets and owners believe spayed and neutered ferrets usually do not need to be descented, so, this may not be as important to all ferret owners.

Other diagnostic techniques were less frequently performed on ferrets. About one-quarter to one-third of vets take radiographs (x-rays) or perform ultrasound on ferrets. Far fewer vets surveyed said they did their own bloodwork or biopsies - only 2 of 27 who responded to that section of the survey. The Triangle vets who answered the survey also described the diseases they have treated in ferrets. Most area vets have treated ferrets for intestinal parasites or for influenza. Of the cancers seen most often in ferrets, about 60% said they had experience treating lymphoma or insulinoma but only about one- half treated adrenal disease, which some ferret owners report is a common cancer in older ferrets, i.e. over five years of age.

Approximately one-half of the vets responded stated they have treated ferrets for heartworm. This should be a concern for any ferret that is ever exposed to mosquitoes, which transmit heartworm. Even fewer vets (24%) said they had ever treated a ferret for Helicobacter pylori or H. mustelae, bacteria that cause stomach and duodenal ulcers in ferrets. The same percentage of vets reported treating ECE (epizootic catarrhal enteritis), a severe viral diarrhea.

The information from this survey may be useful to you if you ever have need for a vet who offers a specific service your ferret requires. Some ferret owners take their ferrets to different vets for different services. Choose a vet based on the health needs of your pet. Not all vets have the same expertise at each medical procedure. If your vet cannot perform the needed procedure, ask for a referral or contact TriFL.

Ferret Sitters Needed!

 Will you, or someone you know, be able to care for a TriFL members' pet/s during their summertime vacation? Owner will provide cage, supplies, and vet info. All they asks for is a loving guardian to care for their pet/s a few days. If you can help out, please contact TriFL on-line, Joseph & Karen Marsh-Lovvorn @ 596-9393, or Shari Gunter @ 231-3222.

Shelter Information and Contacts

 Please support your local ferret shelters. If you are unable to donate financially, they can also use ferret/kitten food, old t-shirts, sweatshirts, towels, toys, water bottles, food dishes and other ferret accessories, laundry detergent, and paper towels.

Please contact Karen Marsh-Lovvorn of Rogues Gallery at 596-9393, or Linda Goodwin of Guardian Angels at 362-8460, if you can adopt a shelter ferret!

Ferret Web Pages

 http://www.cdfa.com/ http://www.ferret.org/
http://www.ix.netcom.com/~gravidyn/
http://www.missouri.edu/~c620213/
http://www.mca.com/tv/beastmaster/
http://www.smu/edu/~hmccowen/ferret.html
http://ferret-world.csc.peachnet.edu
http://www.teleport.com/~leonard/ofa/ofa.html

(Quit playing with the computer and play with your ferret/s!...sg)

TriFL Newsletter Address

 

TRIangle Ferret Lovers

PO Box 61091

Raleigh, NC  27661-1091
Shari Gunter is the TriFL Newsletter editor. Please contact Shari at sharidiane@aol.com if you have questions about TriFL Newsletter content.

This web page is maintained by Pam Sessoms. I can be reached at: pjdutche@email.unc.edu.

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