Posted: September 1, 2009, 5 a.m. EDT
Q: My ferret Sasha is 4 years old. I just had blood work done to see if he has adrenal disease. The results were estradiol 346 pmol/L30.0-180 .0 pmol/L AndrostenedioneQNS0.0-15.0 nmol/L 17-hydroxyprogesterone 0.970.0-0.80 nmol/L high. Does this mean he has adrenal disease?
A: Unfortunately, those numbers could be interpreted to mean your ferret has adrenal gland disease.
The estradiol number is very high and can result from adrenal gland disease or an intact ovary. You said your ferret is a he, so likely the cause of the high estradiol number is adrenal gland disease.
The 17-hydroxyprogesterone is borderline high but with the estradiol also elevated, this would make me concerned.
The best approach to this problem is to speak with your ferret’s veterinarian and match the results of this test with the physical examination and other diagnostic tests that have been performed on your ferret.
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