Pet ferrets are prone to several types of cancers. The most common are adrenal glands, pancreas, and lymphatic system cancers. To make you better understand the problem, 50-70% of ferrets over 3 years old get some type of cancer or even various types simultaneously.
That is why this topic is very important for all present or future pet ferret owners as in many cancer cases early diagnosis can save ferret’s life. Early diagnosis is possible only if you make regular vet check up-s , experienced ferret owners advise check up-s every 6 months for ferrets over 3 years old!
Maybe it seems exaggerated but this is the only proper way to discover If your ferret suffers from some health issues including cancer.
Table of Contents
Adrenal glands cancer
Adrenal glands cancers are usual for ferrets 4-6 years old but of course it can also occur in younger ferrets. Disease begins with enlarged adrenal glands, then benign cancer shows up then the bad one comes ( malign tumor). Although cancer is always a horrible diagnose, this type of cancer is not immediately life-threatening condition.
What are adrenal glands ?
Adrenal glands are tiny glands placed just near kidneys. Their main role is to control hormones, especially testosterone and progesterone. Even if your ferret is neutered /spayed it does not mean that its brain stopped sending signals to produce these hormones.
Breeding season of the ferrets is closely linked to the number of days with a lot of daylight ( starting in spring when days become longer and ending in fall when days become shorter ) .
In case you have an intact ferret, its ovaries or testes will receive the signal and after the mating process or after days become shorter the brain will stop sending signals for hormone production. But if your ferret does not have those organs ( most of the pet ferrets is neutered or spayed ) all signals from the brain would go to adrenal glands which can result in increased secretion of sex hormones.
The problem is that in case of malfunction of adrenal glands those signal never stops. It is still not known what causes adrenal glands to break down but some of the thoughts could be: either neutering /spaying process had been done to early or artificial light to which all pet ferrets are exposed as they are living inside of the house.
Symptoms of adrenal glands disease
- Hair loss – ferret will start losing hair from the tail to the back. It can end up with just a few hairs on the feet and the head. You might think that everything is ok as hair can grow again during the breeding season due to hormones but in the end the ferret will loose the hair again and every time will be worse.
- Changes in behavior – male ferrets can become very aggressive and female ferrets can act like mothers – grooming and licking other ferrets
- Enlarged prostate or swollen vulva, difficulty urinating
- More sensitive, thin and dry skin
- Weight loss
Diagnose for adrenal glands disease
At the moment there is no specific test that can detect this condition. Blood tests can show other health problems and ultrasound is also possible but not so effective as enlargement of the glands might not be so big so ultrasound cannot tract it.
An experienced vet could feel enlarged glands during a physical exam but the same as with ultrasound, enlargement should be large so the vet can feel it. If your pet has several described symptoms, a good vet will not have any trouble to confirm the disease.
Treatment for adrenal glands disease
The best way to solve this situation is to surgically remove the glands but here we have a few problems.
- First of all – it is expensive.
- Second of all – the left gland is easy to remove but the right is a tricky one. It is very close to a main artery and usually covered with blood vessels so very hard to be removed with no complication. Doctors usually remove only left one as they are not happy to remove both glands at the same time. Moreover it is still subject to discussion if ferrets can live normally in case both glands have been removed.
- Even if one gland looks fine, it will hardly remain healthy after the other has been removed
- If your pet suffers from insulinoma cancer and because of adrenal disease one of the gland has been removed, there is a big chance that its health suddenly gets even worse.
There are other treatments for adrenal disease – but be careful – there is no cure for this condition, drug therapy can only help with symptoms but not to make disease vanish.
Melatonin implants – melatonin is a natural hormone that can prevent the function of adrenal gland hormones. Implants are very small ( grain of rice size ) its duration is 4 months and when you placing the new one, you do not have to remove the old implant which is quite comfortable for your pet and for you, of course. The price is not so high, this is its benefit but the thing is that effectiveness might decrease with every new implant and can come to the point not to be effective at all.
Prevention for adrenal glands disease
There is a theory that says that you should keep your pet away from artificial lights as much as possible. This is very challenging as you might be working 8-9 hours day shift and come back to your home at 6 pm, when it is already dark and you have not seen your pet whole day and it is your time to play with it. Almost impossible task
Also if you bought intact ferret you need to speak to your vet, when is the best time to get your pet spayed /neutered. If this procedure is done too early, it is more likely that adrenal disease will develop in the future.
You also should contact your vet as there is a human medication called Lupron and it is suggested that your ferret receive one dosage before it turns 1 year. Lupron stops the hormone signals so they never manage to affect the adrenal glands. It might be useful but you should consult your vet for advice of frequency as your pet should receive more than just one dosage.
Isulinoma cancer
Insulinoma cancer is islet cells of pancreas cancer, very typical for middle age ferrets. Usual time when they get this cancer is about 3-5 years old but if tracked on time, treated well then your ferret will most probably live a long and happy life without too much suffering.
Islet cells or beta cells are the ones which produce insulin, responsible for blood sugar regulation.
Insulin’s task is to reduce the level of glucose in the blood and if too much insulin has been produced the result will be an alarmingly low level of glucose. This can be very dangerous as glucose is crucial fuel for energy.
Insulinoma cancer can be adenoma ( benign ) or adenocarcinoma ( malignant ). Unfortunately adenocarcinoma Is far more often, attacking both genders equally.
Insulinoma symptoms
- Mouth drooling
- Weight loss
- Lack of energy and weakness
- Depression
- Abnormal behavior
- Excessive urination and tremendous thirst
- Vomiting
- Collapse
- Episodes of seizures
- Tremors
Symptoms can come gradually and be very mild and then get worse and worse with time
This disease can even be present without any symptoms in the beginning and everything depends on the level of glucose in the blood. If it is not too low then your ferret will not show any sign until the disease progresses. On the other hand severe signs can occur out of nowhere and leave you speechless.
I have to outline that excess insulin will result in a dangerously low level of blood sugar which will lead further to an increased level of adrenaline ( adrenal glands react on low blood sugar by producing more adrenaline then it is needed ). High adrenaline will affect the heart, causing speed heart rate which can provoke tremors.
Diagnose for Insulinoma
If your ferret has any of the listed signs you should definitely see the vet. Remember that any disease detected on time has more chance to be controlled and managed the way your ferret can live longer and to have more quality life.
Your vet will perform a physical examination along with blood work( insulin level ). In some cases insulin level can be quite normal due to the episodic nature of this disease so it is more relevant to check insulin – glucose ratio. If Insulin level Is high and glucose level is low then the situation is pretty clear . Ultrasound can also be helpful to track tumors but in the majority of cases tumors are not big enough to be seen.
After examination and analysis your vet will decide if the signs that you noticed on your ferret are caused by Insulinoma or some other health condition.
The best time for taking the blood for analysis is after 4-5 hours of fasting. You might be advised to get some home tests and to check the glucose level of your ferret from time to time but always remember to do the test after a couple of hours without any meal eaten by your pet.
Treatment for Insulinoma
Treatment of Insulinoma cancer can be either medical or surgical. Both treatments have pros and cons. Medical treatment involves a therapy based on corticosteroid drugs which task is to increase the glucose level in the blood. These drugs cannot stop the progression of disease but can alleviate the symptoms.
Surgical therapy is more expensive of course but the doctor will remove the affected part of the pancreas which maybe can solve the problem. The trouble is that small, not visible, microscopic tumor parts can stay in other parts of the pancreas causing further progress of the disease. It is known that ferrets cannot live if a complete pancreas is removed.
Medical and surgical treatments are not the only things you can do. Besides those you have to pay special attention to your pet’s diet. It is advised to give your pets smaller meals but more often in order to keep its glucose level stable.
Also you need to provide high-quality protein food for your little friend. Please make sure its food is 100% carbohydrates free. No sugar or fruit treats are advisable.
Prevention and home care for Insulinoma
There is no way you can prevent this disease but you can take care of your ferret well but providing the quality food for it, observing it and seeking for help as soon as you notice any sign that can be related to Insulinoma.
If it happens that your furball developed this disease then there is no other remedy except to do your best to help your friend.
For example In case your pet collapsed you can put a small amount of honey and corn syrup inside of its mouth but trying to avoid any bite. However if your ferret experiences a severe seizure episode, do not mess with honey and seek for immediate vet help.
If we look at statistics, a living period after surgical therapy is about 500 days which is quite ok if you know that Insulinoma is characteristic for middle age ferrets.
The majority of ferrets respond well on medical therapy and diets so all these efforts can give your ferret from several months to several years of life, depends on how much disease has been progressed, the age of the ferret, etc.
Lymphoma or lymphosarcoma -cancer of lymphatic system
Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a net of organs and tissues that helps the body to get rid of the waste and toxins. The main role of the lymphatic system is to carry lymph through the whole body. Lymph is a fluid rich in white blood cells which task is to fight against any infection. The most important part of the lymphatic system is lymphatic vessels similar to blood vessels that are linked to lymph nodes, the place where lymph is depurated.
This cancer can affect lymphocytes ( white blood cells in lymph ), lymph nodes, or any other lymphatic tissue in the body.
Lymphoma symptoms
Symptoms may vary and they totally depend on the organ affected by the tumor
Kidney :
- Kidney failure
- Vomiting
- Anorexia connected with lack of appetite
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination or polyuria
- Lethargy
- Large kidneys
Spinal cord
- Rare limb weakness
- Paralysis
Alimentary
- Anorexia
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Abdominal mass
- Black stool ( black comes from digested blood ) called melena
- Diarrhea
Mediastinal
- Open-mouth breathing
- Cough
- Weight loss
- Anorexia
- Firm front part of the chest
Periorbital ( area around eyes)
- Deformity of the face
- Protrusion of the eye
Skin
- Skin masses
- Alopecia or hair loss
Severe itching of the skin - Bleeding
If cancer is in multiple nodes throughout the body
- Weight loss
- Depression
- Lack of appetite
- Or
- None … in early stage , this can also happen
General symptoms
- Dehydration
- Depression
- Fever
- Extreme weight loss
Diagnose for Lymphoma
As you can notice the list of symptoms is very long although some symptoms repeat. As this disease can attack any organ or system in the body diagnosis can be rather challenging.
Many ferrets with this cancer are asymptomatic so diagnose can be totally accidental. Many ferrets with this disease might remain asymptomatic for quite some time, requiring no therapy
In any case, if you notice any of these symptoms you must contact your vet. He /she will most probably start with physical examination.Also, it would be highly appreciated if you go to the vet previously prepared. In what way?
First, your vet will ask you a typical question – why have you come? What is your concern? After this, he /she will ask you about the symptoms you have noticed and even more important, for how long has your fur friend have those symptoms. You also might get a question about current medications ( if your ferret is taking any ) , diet …
After a physical examination, your vet might propose ultrasound although lymphoma tumors are not easily seen so maybe some advanced techniques such as MRI or CT could be a better solution.
Complete check-up most probably will include blood analysis, Urinalyses, chest ultrasound, fecal analysis, complete blood cell count ( CBC ), CT scan, biopsy.
Treatment for Lymphoma
Lymphoma in ferrets, in a certain number of cases is curable and the majority of pet ferrets are treated as an outpatient . Chemotherapy and radiation turned out to be the most effective forms of therapy. There are few cases when surgery is necessary -for example in the case of intestinal lymphoma, where cancer has obstructed normal function of the intestinal tract, surgery is a must.
Lymphoma therapy in ferrets may also include medications given orally, which task is to diminish the signs and to improve the general state.
Home care for Lymphoma
As I said before, this cancer is treatable but unfortunately not always curable. For any kind of prognosis or life expectancy after this cancer the information on how your pet initially reacted to chemotherapy is crucial. Ferret patients with skin or mediastinal lymphoma usually respond very well to chemotherapy and most of them can live for 2-3 years more.
But ferrets with aggressive cancer which attacked several organs or systems in the body most probably will not respond to chemotherapy so well and they are expected to live for barely 1-3 months.
Regarding the period after chemotherapy and hopefully remission … you should expect the next vet appointment in 6 months. After that follow up, your vet will inform you about next but bear in mind that you will be visiting the vet more often than before.
It might happen that your vet advises you to make some diet changes in order to provide the best balance diet for your furball. Also maybe instruct you to give antioxidants to your pet, as they turned out very helpful in decreasing the chances that cancer comes back.
