Ferret update..

Took Sylvie to the Cornell Veterinary Hospital this morning (for her symptoms as decribed a while back) for a physical and an ultrasound. They returned what I already figured--enlarged adrenal gland (supposed to be 1-2mm, it's 6-7). Short-term symptoms (which, of course, are currently not present because I had to take her to the vet--Murphy's Law) are hair loss and enlarged external bits that shouldn't be; long-term include total hair loss, decrease in metabolism, anemia, decrease in energy, etc. However, no one has yet determined the cause of this disease. Oddly, it usually doesn't occur till about 3 years of age, and Sylvie is only about 1.5yrs old--and these symptoms appeared before she was 1, according to the previous owner. (There's information here for interested persons.)

Feasible treatment options are:

1) Surgery to remove the affected gland. Quite effective, and the ferret can survive just fine with one. However, it doesn't preclude the other gland doing the same a few years down the road. Surgery is also $300-$1000.

2) Lupron injections every 3-4 weeks for the rest of her life, which suppress the extra sex hormones that the gland is producing. Not thoroughly tested, but seems to be working on the ~30 ferrets that they've used it on. Cost is $20/treatment.

Not sure which to do.. :(

Stuff that rocks.

Peanut brittle.

G&R - "The Spaghetti Incident?"

This album rocks.

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All Your Base Are Belong to God

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