redness

Question
Hi!About a week ago i got a ferret and i searched about caring for ferrets and hygine and they said that a common disease is adrenal disease. my ferret has no symptoms except its sleeping a lot. I wasnt worried that much.one day i was going to give him a  bath and first i checked around his body for anything like ticks or bugs and saw that near his private part it was redish pinkish. I was sorta worried because some people told me redness and itching(which he does itch)is a symptom. I am really worried..... :( he also licks me a lot some say its a symptom some say its nothing to worry about.....i am worried about everything. my sister says i am overacting but i do not know. please help me......... and my little fuzzy....

Answer
Hello Katherine,

I do have several questions that might help.  First, how old is he?  I am guessing he is rather young since you just got him.  Older ferrets generally sleep more and are less playful than kits.  Also, are there other symptoms besides itching and lethargy?  Both of these can be caused by any number of diseases/conditions but that cannot confirm or rule out adrenal disease.  Is he loosing fur on his tail or back?  Does he have difficulty urinating?  If you answer yes, he could have adrenal disease, although he would need an examination by your vet to diagnose the condition. The most prominent symptom is hair loss, but not every ferret with the disease will loose fur.  Lethargy and itchy are vague symptoms.  It could be adrenal, but there are plenty of other things that could case those effects.     

Adrenal Disease:

I do not want to scare you, but give you the facts regarding the disease.  I cannot say for sure if your ferret has this condition.  Only your vet can diagnose it. These are just some general facts about  adrenal tumors.   

Adrenal disease has many symptoms, but hair loss is the most prominent.  The hair loss generally that starts at the tip of the tail and creeps toward the shoulders.  This condition is caused by a tumor on the gland that causes an overabundance of hormones.  One gland or both may be affected.   

No one is certain what triggers adrenal disease, but some speculate that it is the overabundance of light, early spay/neutering, diet, or genetics.  It is thought that the early spaying/neutering is a MAJOR cause since it is rarely seen in countries such as the UK which do not practice altering at a young age. One of my ferrets I purchased at a private breeder and neutered him at 8 months.  The breeder claims to have never seen a case of adrenal in her line, likely because she does NOT have them altered at 4 weeks of age as Marshall Farms does.  They also sell their ferrets and beagles to laboratories for testing as well as have been noted for unsanitary conditions.  For These reasons I will not support Marshall Farms by purchasing their products or pets.  I always adopt or get my ferrets from a breeder.

Adrenal disease is 100 percent fatal if untreated, but surgery is an option in most younger, otherwise healthy ferrets.  It is usually completely curable through surgery.  In the case of your ferrets, under 2 years of age is a younger adult, and likely to be a good candidate if this is indeed the diagnosis.  If surgery is not an option, there are other methods, such as injections that will help suppress the progression of the disease.  These will not cure them, but it will allow a longer more comfortable life.  Remember adrenal disease is VERY painful and if left untreated it is fatal.      

Here are some excellent website regarding the condition, treatments, surgery, etc.  You might have stumbled upon them before.

http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/adrenal.asp
http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/adrenal.html

Regardless of the possibilities, it is best to go to your vet to see what he or she thinks may be the cause.  The adrenal blood test may be a good idea to rule it out, since early treatment if it is indeed behind the symptoms, is very important for a better prognosis.    Early diagnosis is ALWAYS the best option.  
 
Licking:

Many ferrets lick because they like you =D  Once my big guy gets going, there is no stopping him!  This is their way of showing affection to you =D  I would not be concerned that he likes to give you plenty of slurpy kisses.  However, if you notice him over-grooming himself (for example licking away fur) you should have the vet take a peek.

Redness of Genitals:

I am unsure what the red area around his genitals may be.  You should have your vet take a peek at it, as well as discuss the other symptoms you noticed. It could be mites or an allergy. Change any litter to Yesterdays News.  It might be a contact allergy that is causing the redness and itching.  

What to do?

In the meantime, the most important thing is to make sure he is eating and drinking.  A ferret needs to eat and defecate every 4-6 hours, and an waste away VERY quickly if he refuses food or water. If you notice ANY lack of appetite, have him seen immediately.  Monitor his appetite and stool.  Make sure they look normal.

Diet:   

Also, diet is essential for ferrets, and could proper nutrition could potentially prevent future health problems.  He could have allergies to the food if you are giving him a mediocre quality diet.  Please check out the link below regarding proper nutrition:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2009/5/ferret-61.htm

I hope this answers your question!  He should be seen by a vet if his lethargy continues or the itching becomes worse.

-Cindy P.