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Treatment

Ferret adrenal disease may be treated with adrenalectomy (removal of one or both of the glands located above the kidney) or managed medically. Removal of the affected adrenal gland(s) and drainage of the cysts at the time of surgery is often curative in ferrets with mild enlarged prostate, sterile cysts, or small abscessed cyst.

Large or multiple cysts that are abscessed or infected with resistant bacterial pathogens, conversely, may require prolonged treatment and medication. However, prognosis is poorer for complete resolution as compared to sterile cysts.

Hospitalization for fluid therapy will depend on the state of hydration. Ferrets that are suffering from kidney failure require intravenous fluid therapy. Postoperative fluid therapy will probably continue for 24 to 48 hours.

Living and Management

Following adrenalectomy, prostatic tissue should decrease in size within one to three days. If urethral obstruction persists, a second adrenal tumor may be present. The size of the prostrate, meanwhile, has been reported to reduce in size in as little as two to three days, but there have also been reports for it persisting for months.

Your veterinarian may want to do abdominal X-rays or an ultrasound of the prostate to assess effectiveness of the treatment. He or she may also want to culture specimens of urine to access effectiveness of treatment in patients with abscessed cysts and bacterial cystitis.