Question
brad-lee's hair loss
I have a 4 year old ferret Brad-lee. In November last year he was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. My vet found a tumor the size of a half dollar. We were going to remove the spleen but decided to try Prednisolone (steroid) by mouth. We started with 8mg a day for a month than went to 4mg's. When we went to the 4 the spleen got bigger. He has been on the steroid for about a year now at 8mg a day. His spleen is back to normal size with the tumor still there. He has been doing great, playing and being a 4-year old. Recently he started a scratching fetish. He is scratching so bad that behind his head he is getting hair loss. Under him by his bathroom area he is is getting red skin. I took him to the vet last week. They say it's just dry skin & now have put him on a Derm Cap liquid. Another daily mouth injection. It's been about a week and I'm not seeing any change.
AnswerPoor Brad-lee! It is wonderful that he is acting normally despite his splenic mass. At this point, I think keeping the tumor at it's smallest is of utmost importance. This will keep him feeling his best and his normal bouncy self. One thing to keep in mind, however, is Prednisolone is a double edged sword. Although it controls the tumor, it is not easy on the liver. You should bring him to your vet every 6 months for blood-work to keep an eye on the liver functions.
I have heard that the prognosis is not good for a splenic mass that is not removed early enough. Even a benign mass has the potential to become malignant over time. The tumor can eventually spread to the surrounding tissue. Although a splenectomy has it's own complications, a pet can survive up to a few more years once the surgery is preformed, especially since 4 is sill relatively young. You might want to mention it to your veterinarian as a possible option to see what he or she thinks and the prognosis.
One last thing I would like to mention about splenic tumors is something you should watch out for. the spleen is a very common place for a growth to rupture, causing the pet to bleed into the abdomen (hemo-abdomen). This causes the pet to loose blood rapidly into the abdominal cavity and is life threatening. For this reason, do not allow him to rough house too much. Also, if you are noticing his belly looks distended or enlarged, no appetite, lethargy and/or pale gums, have him seen ASAP by your vet. Hemo-abdomen is commonly seen with splenic masses, so I would like you to be aware of the symptoms in case it ever happens.
In response to the hair loss, such a thing can be caused by a thousand and one reasons. Allergies, adrenal tumors, and external parasites are the three most common besides the natural process of shedding. I am doubtful it is due to adrenal disease since the hair loss usually starts at the tail and works up the hindquarters. Check his body over very carefully for any signs of a possible cause. Do you notice any flea dirt? Fleas or mites can go unnoticed by even attentive owners and can cause itching that can thin the fur. Your vet could do a quick skin-scrape for mites and check her over for any other parasites. Is she shedding and do you see new growth poking through? Ferrets shed 1-2 times yearly (depending on the amount of light), mainly in the fall and spring. At times their coats can become patchy or appear to have hair loss, but there should be new fur ready to replace the old. Also, discontinue using any fabric softeners or any chemical cleaners. Some ferrets are sensitive and can have allergic reactions to these. Wash all bedding well and see if that helps. As far as a cleaner, use VERY dilute warm bleach/water (about a 1:32 dilution... or until the water is no longer "slimy" to the touch). He could also have a food allergy that is causing the hair loss (are we seeing a trend? It really could be caused by almost anything!) Make sure you are feeding high quality ferret-approperiate food. Many many brands are NOT GOOD for ferrets and can cause severe health problems and/or allergy. Below is a link to a previous question that addresses the issue:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2008/6/food-ferrets.htm
Have you been using any new products around the house? If so, discontinue use immediately and see if that helps. Remember, ferrets regrow their fur 1-2 times yearly, so you may not see any regrowth until the new coat!
Regardless of the cause, you should bring him for a checkup with your veterinarian ASAP. A prompt diagnosis is ALWAYS the best option! It would also give you a reason to have the hair loss looked at and the splenic mass reevaluated. I hope everything goes well for your little kid. Please keep me posted to his progress/diagnosis. I will be wondering about him.
-Cindy P.
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Thank you! I'm glad I could be of some help and make sense of all of the medical jargon veterinarians use =D I would be grateful to hear of the progress.
-Cindy
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