Ferret Footnotes

Monthly Newsletter of the
Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas

NOVEMBER 1997
ULTRASOUNDING FERRETS

IN THE EVENT OF A DEATH:
Making Arrangements for ALL Your Loved Ones

by Lori Goats
Shelter Director, Ferret Haven

We all know how important it is to make arrangements for your family in the event of your death. This is especially true for those who are the primary caregiver or provider for the family. Most people have legal wills to address these issues. If you do have a will, have you thought about protecting all your loved ones...including your ferrets?

We operate a small ferret shelter where we typically have between 10-20 ferrets at any given time. It was evident to me that it was very important to protect our ferrets if we died. Here are some factors to think about:

Is there someone you would trust to leave your ferrets to? Have they shown interest in the ferrets and are they proven, successful pet owners? Do they have enough time and money to properly care for them? Do you have children involved that may grieve if the ferrets aren't with them? Trying to find someone you trust to take care for your children is hard enough. Finding someone to care for both your children and your ferrets may be impossible.

If you don't know someone who wants them, is there someone who can temporarily take care of the ferrets until a proper home is found? Do you have a list of "qualifications" they can follow to help find the right home?

These are simple things you should consider before creating or changing your will. Let me share with you what we did in our situation. We established that my parents don't want the ferrets permanently, so we asked a ferret shelter director close by, who we've known for quite some time and have become goods friends with, if she would be willing to care for them until she could adopt them. She said she would, so we stated that in our will. In addition, because she has her own shelter and the costs that go along with it, we designated $50 per ferret plus all supplies and records be send as well from the estate.

It is important to make certain your will specifies where your ferrets or other pets should go if you die. It is equally important to keep papers in your safety deposit box that explain how to properly care for all your pets. We also have an "information sheet" that explains where we keep all the vaccination/medical records for each ferret and how we care for them and what their daily routines are.

Please take the time to review your existing will to make certain it contains provisions for your ferrets. If you don't have a will, consider getting one made so you can protect all your loved ones.

Taz spends a moment to repack the suitcase of his parents, Kevin and Lori Goats. Every ferret knows that humans simply do not know how to pack, store, or put away ANYTHING properly. Humans are so fortunate to have ferret help!

Would you like your ferret to be featured as a cover photo? Or published in the new handbook? Send photographs to the editor (see page 2), and with a SASE, they will be returned. Be sure to identify the ferret, and mark the photo with your name and address.

A big Welcome to new members for the month of NOVEMBER:

Nick Green of Rowlett, owned by Scooby and Sugar

Thanks also to returning members:

• Steven, Johnieann, and Jennifer Massey, owned by Sasha, Mischa, and Ragsy
• Tom Shook, DVM, Medallion Animal Clinic of Dallas
• Bill Tabor of Oklahoma, owned by Cindy
• Scott and Sandy Beaird, owned by Oscar

ULTRASOUNDING FERRETS

Dr. Roger Kendrick, DVM & Dr. Erika Matulich, Ph.D.

What Are Ultrasounds Used For?

Ultrasounds can be used to take a look at internal tissues, organs, and other structures without the need of invasive surgery. Any pregnant woman who has received a sonogram to check for fetal development has experienced ultrasound technology. Veterinarians can use ultrasound to diagnose adrenal disease, look at lymph nodes for evidence of lymphoma, check the pancreas for insulinoma, identify liver or spleen diseases, spot kidney cysts or stones, or see bladder stones. Primarily, ultrasounding is an extremely useful tool for looking at ferret adrenal disease, and ascertaining which adrenal may be involved, and the amount of involvement that may exist. A ferret may be spared exploratory surgery based on the clinical findings of an ultrasound examination. Alternatively, the veterinarian who needs to perform surgery on the ferret will know the size and location (left or right) of the adrenal tumor, which will greatly speed up surgery.

How Does Ultrasound Technology Work?

Ultrasound technology works by having a probe send a pulse of energy into the body cavity and then listening for an echo, much like how sonar works in submarines to locate enemy ships. As the energy pulse ripples through the body, it strikes different organs, reflecting some of the sound waves back to the probe, while some continue through the tissue to strike other organs. The more dense a structure is, the better able we are to see it. Hollow organs like the urinary bladder and gall bladder tend to show up black because they transfer a vast majority of the sound waves. On the other hand, fat and gas tend to completely absorb the sound waves, making identification difficult. Most tissue densities are in between and allow good visualization. The probe spend 99.9% of its time listening for returning sound waves and the remainder sending out pulses. The computer then translates these returning waves and places them on the screen for interpretation by the veterinarian.

What is the Procedure for an Ultrasound?

First, the ferret's stomach needs to be shaved. The ultrasound probe must have maximum skin contact and minimal air contact to read soundwaves correctly. Second, the ferret is placed on his or her back on a comfortable pad or cushion and distracted with Ferretone or Linatone. For the most part, ferrets are distracted sufficiently with a good supply of Ferretone to lick and remain still for the procedure, so sedation or anaesthetics are not needed. However, the occasional ferret is too squirmy to ultrasound, even with the Ferretone, and must be sedated. In any case, the ferret must remain still during the procedure, so a holder is needed. Next, the veterinarian will coat the ferret's exposed skin with a special lotion. (Ferrets may initially squirm at this point because the lotion feels cold). The lotion helps the ultrasound probe maintain contact with the skin and glide easily. The veterinarian moves the probe slowly across, down, and around the ferret to look for internal structures, and will also vary the pressure of the probe to see at different depths. The procedure is completely painless to the ferret because the energy pulses sent by the probe cannot be felt.

What Does an Ultrasound Look Like?

During the ultrasound session at the Bowen Road Animal Clinic, Dr. Kendrick performed the procedure on eight ferrets. Initially, to the untrained eye, the grainy grey picture on the computer screen looks fairly random. It clearly takes a trained and skilled professional to accurately interpret the images. Dr. Kendrick was extremely helpful in pointing out structures such as kidneys, intestines, gall bladders, and the dreaded adrenal tumors. The computer has the ability to "freeze" an image and save the picture for later viewing or sending to another vet. On Kodo, for example, a left-side adrenal tumor was located, and the "picture" was saved. Then Dr. Kendrick moved over to the right side, following the blood vessels to the heart, and located a right adrenal tumor and saved that image as well. Then we could bring up the two tumor images side by side for viewing. The computer also has a measurement feature that will indicate the actual size of the tumors (because the image on the screen is somewhat distorted and not actual size). After several ferrets, we all became more practiced at identifying organs and potential problem areas, with Dr. Kendrick's assistance.

Ferret Adrenal Disease and Ultrasounds

Adrenal disease is a well-documented problem in pet ferrets, especially those bred by Marshall Farms. Recent studies estimate that 65-90% of pet ferrets will develop adrenal disease by the age of 3 years. Animals as young as 10 months have has this condition diagnosed and confirmed. Both males and females tend to be equally represented.

Most of the adrenal disorders show up in the left adrenal gland. Of these disorders on the left side, most (80-85%) are benign tumors (nodular hyperplasia or cortical adenomas), and the rest (15-20%) are cancerous (cortical adenocarcinomas). Adrenal cancers do not spread (metastasize) using the blood stream or lymphatic systems. Instead they can aggressively invade local tissues such as the vena cava, kidneys, pancreas, liver, and surrounding fat. If enough invasion has taken place, ultrasounding can diagnose this and surgery can be avoided, because these lesions are almost impossible to remove and should be treated with medicine.

The remaining cases of adrenal disease (15-20%) are either on the right adrenal gland or on both. If adrenal tumors are detected on both sides, the majority of them are cancerous. Right adrenal tumors are more difficult to remove as they are very close to the vena cava, an important blood vessel going to the heart. Again, ultrasounds are extremely helpful in letting the veterinarian know what is going on before exploratory surgery takes place.

The familiar signs of adrenal disease are hair loss and muscle wasting. Females show swollen vulvas, and males may become sexually aggressive or have enlarged prostates or urinary problems. These signs are present because adrenal tumors can affect two out of the three primary zones of the adrenal cortex. The first zone, the zona glomerulosa, does not appear to be affected. The second zone, the zona fasciculata, produces normal cortisol levels. With a tumor affecting this zone, abnormal cortisol levels are produced, resulting in itching, muscle wasting, and hair loss. The final zone, the zona reticularis, produces the sex hormones. When this zone is affected by a tumor, excessive sex hormones cause the vulvar swelling in females and enlarged prostates in males.

The problem is that by the time the "normal" clinical signs are noticed, the tumor may have already progressed. The earliest sign may be itching. Some ferrets have even had adrenal tumors surgically removed who had NO symptoms. Early diagnosis is helpful, and ultrasounds can assist by being the fastest definitive method of diagnosis. Don't panic, though, at itching and thinning hair during the normal fall and spring seasonal shedding cycle. If the ferret returns to normal in a couple of weeks, seasonal hair loss may be the only problem.

Ultrasounds: A Final Note

Although ultrasounding can be a fast and effective method of early diagnosis for adrenal tumors (and other problems), it is not without drawbacks. First, not many veterinarians have appropriate equipment for ultrasounding because the machines are extremely expensive. Basic ultrasound equipment starts at about $15,000 and can go beyond $30,000 when computer features, multiple probes, and the capability to send to other veterinarians is added. Additionally, machines that are used on humans, horses, cattle, or even dogs and cats, may not be of high enough resolution to adequately display the insides of a small ferret (Dr. Kendrick uses a 6.5 MHZ piezoelectric probe -- the largest that can be used on a ferret, but would prefer the finer resolution 7.5 MHz probe).

Additionally, ultrasounds can be hard to read, especially if the ferret is overweight, squirmy, or full of gas from a recent meal. The veterinarian must be experienced in reading and interpreting ultrasounds, and should have taken classes in ultrasound use and interpretation. And remember that ultrasounds are not a cure, they are a diagnostic tool. You may find out that surgery is no longer an option and other medical therapy (which may or may not be effective) must be tried. Lysodren (mitotane) is the usual medication, but it is quite expensive, requires a compounding pharmacist, and must be given on a schedule (usually every third day). Some ferrets do not react well to Lysodren; others do well for long periods of time.

The cost of performing an ultrasound may also seem expensive. Normally, ultrasounds (cat and dog) cost around $150. Dr. Kendrick charges $90 for a ferret because the procedure takes less time (about 10 minutes; 15 in complex cases). In any case, the cost of an ultrasound is far less than the cost of exploratory surgery at $200-$400, and if surgery is deemed necessary, the veterinarian will be better informed about the nature of the surgery. This allows for a quicker surgery, which is safest for your ferret. Overall, ultrasounding as a diagnostic tool is a vast improvement over "guessing," unnecessary exploratory surgery, or waiting until symptoms are so obvious that a tumor can no longer be removed because it has progressed too far.

(A big round of thanks goes to Dr. Roger Kendrick and the Bowen Road Animal Clinic for doing a dozen demonstration ultrasounds).

BOOK REVIEW: (by Erika Matulich)

The Ferret: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet (1996)

Author: Mary Schefferman, Publisher: Howell Book House, NY ISBN: 0-87605-498-X. 126 pages, color, hardbound, list $12.95.

This is the most recent of the ferret care books, and Mary Schefferman, editor of Modern Ferret Magazine, has done an outstanding job. She starts with the basics of what a ferret is, goes on to ferret history, and defines the world according to the ferret. There are chapters on bringing a new ferret home, ferret-proofing, feeding, grooming, and basic ferret health. Additional chapters cover training, games, legal issues, and playing with the ferret. Helpful appendices provide lists of recommended reading and national-level ferret resources.

This book is superb for the beginning and intermediate ferret owner, and the multitude of color photos are a delight. The color photos alone make this book a more attractive and less expensive alternative to Deborah Jeans' A Practical Guide to Ferret Care. The content is very good, although ferret nutrition only covers protein and fat, and does not cover fiber problems, other ingredients, and formulation (extruded versus pelleted). I also don't agree with any recommendations to bathe your ferret more than once every few months.

Regardless, this is the BEST book I have yet to see on ferret care, especially for new owners. I ordered the book at a considerable discount off the list price of $12.95 from Jeffers Pet Supply (1-800-JEFFERS) for only $7.89. However, if you order it directly from Modern Ferret for $12.95, you can request that Mary autograph the book for you. Additionally, all the profit would go directly to Modern Ferret rather than to the next intermediary.

This is a "must" for every ferret household. The writing is engaging and informative, and I am pleased to see widespread distribution through pet catalogs and pet stores of this wonderful book.

FERRET RABIES STUDIES RESULTS ARE IN!

10-DAY QUARANTINE RECOMMENDED!

The results of the rabies studies with the bat and racoon strains have been finalized, and combined with studies on skunks, foxes, and rodents, the recommendation made at the NASPHV meeting is that ferrets should be treated no differently than dogs or cats in a bite or scratch case. That is, no more euthanasia, and a 10-day quarantine is sufficient. (The Texas Department of Health currently recommends a 30-day quarantine, but many Texas cities do not recognize this recommendation due to previous lack of rabies data). The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association will print these recommendations in its 1998 Compendium. Even before this publication, many cities and states around the nation are jumping on the bandwagon, legalizing ferrets, and/or making 10-day quarantines part of the policy instead of kill-and-test.

In Texas, however, the procedure will not be so immediate. In Texas, the Zoonosis Control Division has to submit a proposal for change in the Texas Administrative code, the change has to be reviewed by the Board of Health in the monthly board meeting and in that meeting get approved for publication. After publication a minimum comment period of 30 days is allowed, and then it must be reviewed at a future board meeting to vote on adoption or not. If it gets adopted then it is republished as a permanent change.

There is a RUMOR that James Wright of Texas Zoonosis Control was already drafting a proposal for a 10-day quarantine for ferrets BEFORE the NASPHV meeting, but this has not been confirmed. Our legal director, Debra Thomason, is working on confirming this rumor and stepping forward with the correct procedures to make a change in the state policies.

Be patient, folks! We are almost to the point where we have the "correct" ammunition that cities have been asking for, and then we can move on to initiate legalization procedures in Fort Worth, Dallas, and surrounding cities. 1998 will be a busy year for legalization in the state of Texas!

NEW MERCHANDISE FOR SALE THROUGH THE CLUB:

CHEWEASEL: The newest, most exciting item of merchandise we are offering is the amazing CHEWEASEL! This is a veterinarian approved chew toy that is 100% edible, with particles that dissolve quickly and cause no blockages. The CHEWEASEL is protein-based, and contains no sugar, artificial colors, or preservatives. Dr. Susan Brown enthusiastically endorses this product, and it makes a great play toy! Ferrets allowed to chew on this toy may show decreased biting behavior and may quit chewing other objects (cloth, rubber, etc.) altogether. FLC-TX test ferrets LOVED these items, but we did find that the toys should be kept out of litter boxes, water bowls, heat, or moisture. The toys can be tied onto a string or piece of elastic, allowing for hours of fun!

Hyper-Fur Ferret's Products has graciously granted FLC-TX and the Ferrets First Rescue and Shelter the right to market these products. Per the agreement with Hyper-Fur, all proceeds from the sale of the CHEWEASELS go to the Ferrets First Rescue and Shelter. We will be selling these items at the special holiday rate of $1 per toy, maximum 25 toys (plus $3 S&H) until the end of the year.

As of January 1, 1998, the prices are as follows: For club members, packets of 3 toys will cost $4, and packets of 10 toys will cost $12. For nonmembers, packets of 3 toys will cost $5 and packets of 10 toys will cost $15. Add $3 shipping and handling if mailing is needed.

FERRET OUTLAWS T-SHIRT: The incredible "Ferret Outlaws" picture is available either on a mug or on a t-shirt. T-shirt sizes are S, M, L, XL, and XXL. Prices for club members are as follows: Coffee mugs: $14, t-shirts $15, XXL t-shirts $17. Add $3 S&H if we need to mail to you. Nonmember pricing, add $2 to everything but shipping.

OTHER ITEMS: We still have Ferret Crossing and Ferret Freeway street signs, greeting cards, myrtlewood carved ferret items, t-shirts with various ferret designs, ferret socks (for humans), checkbook covers with ferrets on them, books (Nosin' 'Round with Peekie Petie), and other items. These make great holiday presents for both humans and ferrets! Grab yours at the holiday party!

SHELTER FEATURE FERRETS

READY TO ADOPT: TIKI and DEBO

Tiki - a black sable female, about 1-1/2 years old. Tiki has no tattoos or markings, and came from the Maryland area. She came into the shelter from horrible conditions. The home was very dirty, had very small children, pit bulls raised for fighting purposes, and her owners were drug addicts/dealers. Tiki was a face-biter that this woman couldn't work with. She said she loved her, but wouldn't spend the time it required to help her to stop biting. After I explained the risks of Tiki doing harm to her children, and to potential visitors who might report a bite incident to the authorities and subsequently Tiki could be seized and killed, she quickly agreed to surrender her to the shelter. This woman had purchased Tiki at substantial discount from a petstore who said someone dumped her there. I later discovered that Tiki had not been spayed! After her surgery the biting subsided and now she's doing wonderfully. She is full of energy and can run circles around any ferret here at the shelter. She loves her friend Debo and can't wait to go to a new home all of her own along with Debo.

Debo - a dark sable male, about 1-1/2 years old. Came to the shelter because his owner did not want to make necessary changes in his lifestyle to accommodate a ferret, after he'd already purchased Debo. Debo is active and healthy and has bonded with a female, Tiki. They should be adopted together. Debo has his own two-story cage that goes with him and Tiki when adopted.

BOOTSEY NEEDS A SPONSOR

Bootsey - a silver mitt female, about 5 years old. She has Marshall Farms tattoos. She came to the shelter because her owner no longer had time for ferrets and wanted to only spend time with her 14 dogs. She has recently undergone adrenal surgery, but has recovered remarkably. She is very petite and very pretty. She is active and playful for her age. Due to her medical history she is a permanent shelter resident, and is in need of a sponsor.

There are so MANY more (about 100!)....Please help if you can. If you wish to make a donation, become a sponsor, or request an adoption application packet, please contact shelter director Patricia Curtis (817) 596-0558.