Adrenal Disease/Tumor?

[ferretmommy]

When Phoenix came out of his cage today, I went to pick him up and was holding him on my lap and I noticed a reddish-orangish patch from his neck to his back. And when I looked closer it looks like his hair is balding there also.



So I researched it and I took the easiest less harshest assumption of what it could be, and it said orange or reddish-brown patches or scaling on a neutered ferret is also usually due to dried sebaceous secretions, and can be removed easily with bathing. And when I looked closely i saw red specs like what would be dander. But when I bathed him the patch didn't go away.

When it didn't wash away in the bath I went back and researched into the adrenal tumor, and idk but I am scared this might be it. He doesn't seem sick at all, just his normal self. And he's always been an itchy ferret. He's not very old, He was born between last June and August.

Maybe it's just a sick irritation? But why would his hair be balding?

Please any info let me know asap.

Thank you.

[Barbara]

It still could be either. If it is adrenal it is easily treated too. In the past there wasn't much they could do but now they have lupron/deslorin and melatonin as well as surgery if needed. I'm sending good thoughts and prayers just in case.

[ferretmommy]

Ok.. Thank you.

When I looked closer to his skin there is like an reddish-orangish color, like irritation maybe? Which maybe his skin is irritated because when I wash his bedding I use regular laundry soap, and then last time I added a little Fabuloso cleaner, not thinking it would be bad, but then I read that is bad, that I shouldn't wash with any chemical and the laundry soap dye and fragrance free. But would that cause the hair to go away?

And when he's in his cage he always rubs the back of his head on the bars of his cage, and rubs his back on the floor and his bed. So maybe that could cause the hair to be gone?

When I look up about adrenal disease it doesn't say anything about the skin turning reddish-orange. Does it?

I'm hoping it's just an irritation, and am going to keep a close eye on it. if need be take him to the vet, but right now it isn't very easy for me to do that.

[Barbara]

He still needs to see a vet as soon as possible. The hair loss is extemee. When I do mine's laundry I use regular detergent (All or Tide) but do an extra rinse and no fabric softner. Ferrets are itchy. My Hershey loves to rub his head on the bars of the cage and they all love some back scratches. Remember if it is adrenal the sooner it's treated the better for everyone.