The Modern Ferret
  • 0
  • Ferret Beginners
  • Best Supplies
  • Bite Training
  • Etsy store
  • Ferret Stickers
  • Learn
    • Our Mission
    • Blog
    • Can My Ferrets Get Coronavirus?
    • Best Ferret Cage: Real Owners Review
    • Ferret for Sale – Where to Buy Ferrets
    • Funny
    • Inspiration
    • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Education
    • Training
    • Product Reviews
  • Contact
*This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission!

Ferret Adrenal Disease: Surprising Signs

By Haley on February 4, 2020

Welcome to our series on Common Ferret Illnesses, and specifically our deep-dive into ferret adrenal disease. In this article, you will learn what causes it, the most common symptoms, and which ferrets are most at risk.

What is Ferret Adrenal Disease?

Ferrets have adrenal glands just like humans. These adrenal glands produce hormones to regulate blood glucose levels. Sex hormones are also produced by these glands. Adrenal Gland Disease occurs when a ferret’s glands start overproducing sex steroids.

Symptoms:

  • Hair loss on tail (rat tail)
  • Full body hair loss (if left untreated)
  • Excessive itchiness
  • Swollen vulva in spayed female ferrets
  • Humping other ferrets
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Difficulty peeing
  • Anemia in females
  • Muscle thinning

Most at Risk:

Adrenal gland disease most commonly affects ferrets over 3 years of age.

There are several theories as to what causes adrenal gland disease in ferrets. The first is that ferrets that were neutered too early (before puberty) are prone to it. The next theory is that ferrets who cannot find a dark place to sleep during the day are more likely to suffer. Third, some believe that prolonged periods of stress may cause your ferret to develop adrenal gland disease. Do any of these potential risk factors describe your ferret?

How Do You Treat Ferret Adrenal Disease?

Currently, there is no cure for adrenal gland disease. Your ferret may show no signs of adrenal gland disease until it has greatly progressed. Because the disease is so extremely prevalent in the ferret community, many recommend getting your ferret a Deslorlin implant after 2 years of age, before the disease even has a chance to start. Implants can cost anywhere from $60-200. Surgery is also an option to treat adrenal gland disease but we are personally not as familiar with it.

We’d love for you to share your personal experience with this extremely common disease in the comments below. How can you prepare future ferret owners?

ferretferret healthferret illnesses
Posted in Health, Uncategorized.
Share

Recent Comments

  • natasha woodford on How to Test Ferret Blood Glucose at HOME!
  • angel on 21 Cute Ferret Photos That Will Make You Smile

Recent Posts

  • Why Ferrets Are The Best Pets To Have | Pros & Cons of Ferret Ownership
  • What’s The True Cost of a Ferret? | Detailed Breakdown of The Average Cost of Ferrets
  • Best Ferret Vets Near me | Crowdsourced List of Trusted Exotic Vets
PreviousFerret Lymphoma: Common Signs
NextFerret Heart Disease: Symptoms and Treatment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Related Posts

  • ferret-smart-cartoon
    January 16, 2020

    How Smart are Ferrets? The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

    Welcome to the Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Ferrets! This is Chapter 4: How Smart are Ferrets? If you already have a solid understanding of where ferret intelligence ranks among other household pets, you can skip to Chapter 5. For everyone else, this chapter will give you a new found respect for these incredible animals. Myth: Ferrets are Untrainable …

  • January 16, 2020

    Why Baby Ferrets Bite

    My baby ferret bites! Why? Welcome to Part 1: Why Baby Ferrets Bite of our 3 part series on ferret biting. If you are already well versed on why your ferret may be biting, feel free to skip to Part 3: How to Stop Ferret Biting. One of the most common questions we receive at …

  • February 3, 2020

    Ferret Flu: Symptoms and Treatment

    Welcome to our series on Common Ferret Illnesses, and specifically our deep-dive into ferrets suffering from the flu. In this article, you will learn what causes it, the most common symptoms, and which ferrets are most at risk. We will also provide an overview on what steps you will want to take to help your …

  • July 27, 2019

    Ferret First Aid Kit for 2020

    Here is a list of the most essential items to keep on hand for your ferret. We recommend making one BEFORE it’s too late.

  • Blog
  • Press
  • Ferret Stickers
  • Etsy store
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • © 2023 The Modern Ferret
  • New Ferret Owners START HERE!
  • 🔥 Top Recommended Supplies
  • How to Stop Ferret Biting
  • Learn
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Account

    Log in

    Lost your password?

    Or
    Create an account

    Register

    A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address.

    Or
    Log in