What could be the cause of scabs?

Question
Hello,
My ferret Archie is approx 3-5 years old(rescued so unsure of exact age).   He has had one adrenal gland removed and is now showing signs of the remaining gland being a problem.  We have given him Melatonin suppliments and his hair has regrown, his weight has increased and he is much happier and playful. However he has recently started getting scabs appearing in his ears, on his back, between his toes, on his arms etc.  We have of course taken him to our vet and he put some ointment on the  worst scab that was present at the time.  This is because we had noted that the scab had not healed and gone away in some time.  This is now a much bigger scab and we are nearly two weeks later and it is still very much there.  The scabs are all a yellowish brown colour.  For a while the scabs in his ears i had thought to be wax - but on further inspection they are definately scabs.  I regularly wash and change bedding, treat for fleas etc.  He does not seem to scatch more than usual - although i assume he must be when i am not watching to get the scabs.  My vet seems to be unsure and i will take him to a specialist who is quite a long distance away from us.  Because it is very hot for him at the moment in the car i want to make sure that it is absolutely necessary before we go.  Any ideas at all?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Laura

Answer
Dear Laura,

This sounds like an ailment which affected one my my girlfriend's ferret some years ago: mast cell tumors.  Don't panic at the name, though!  These things are benign and pretty much harmless to the ferret...except that they secrete a histamine which can be pretty ichy for the little guy.

Your vet can do a scraping of a scaly area, pop it under a microscope and confirm the diagnosis.  Its a five-minute, non-invasive procedure that will (if nothing else) put your mind at ease.

They can be removed relatively easily, too, as they do not grow beneath skin level and will pose no real health danger.

If this is not the case, however, I must admit that I would be quite puzzled.  I am very curious to see what the problem is, and would greatly appreciate an update on your little baby!

Sincerely

Stephenie