Prevention of Adrenal Disease in Ferrets

Adrenal disease in ferrets is a fairly common disease in North America.You will find more information in our educational guide.

Recent studies show that for preventative purposes, it may be more beneficial to give an annual injection of Lupron (a type of synthesized hormone) just before the ferret's natural breeding season, i.e. the end of January to early February. The earlier prevention is done in the ferret's life, the more effective the treatment will be. This injection must be repeated every year.

Even if your ferret is only a few months old and spayed, it may still experience a hormonal surge as early as December through February. In such cases, prevention with Lupron is most effective if administered before the first hormonal fluctuations. The first season is the most important of all. Young ferrets should receive at least one injection, followed by a repeat dose one month later. For males, this means an injection in December and January. For females, their two injections should be given from late January to early March. Once this first season is complete, an annual reminder injection should be given. It is equally important to administer the injection to slightly older animals, as it is never too late to prevent the issue. Therefore, the best time to prevent adrenal disease is from mid-December to mid-January for males and from late January to early March for females—just before the start of the season, and this should be done annually.

The veterinarian will be able to answer any questions you may have. A physical examination will then be performed and the injection will be given afterwards.

Technical explanations: the increase in the photoperiod (and therefore the length of the day) significantly increases the production of hormones by the ferret's adrenal glands. For a ferret that is not sterile and breeding, mating and the sex hormones associated with it will normally exert control over these hormones and cause them to decrease. However, since the vast majority of North American ferrets are already spayed and not breeding, there is no mating and this reduction effect never occurs. Thus, the excess hormones continue to stimulate the adrenal glands, which react by becoming larger (hyperplasia) than normal, or by transforming into tumors.