Serum cortisol radioimmunoassay values in the normal ferret and response to ACTH stimulation and dexamethasone suppression tests

Cortisol values were obtained from 39 ferrets, Mustela putorius furo, by using a commercial radioimmunoassay. Sera from 25 males (18 intact, 7 neutered) and 14 females (7 intact, 7 spayed) were assayed. Resting serum cortisol values ranged from 0.13 to 2.70 micrograms/dl for males (mean = 0.93 +/- 0.63 micrograms/dl), and 0.55 to 1.84 micrograms/dl for females (mean = 0.86 +/- 0.29 microgram/dl). The resting cortisol values of both males and females were comparable to those of the cat (1.0 to 3.0 micrograms/dl). A 7 year old male ferret with suspected hyperadrenocorticism and an adrenal mass had a cortisol level of 8.1 micrograms/dl. Adrenal cortical carcinoma was the histologic diagnosis. One adult female ferret had a cortisol level of 3.30 micrograms/dl. This animal also had proliferative colitis upon necropsy. An ACTH stimulation test (1 U/kg IM) and a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (0.1 mg/kg) were performed on 10 ferrets. Post-ACTH serum cortisol levels increased by an average of 89%. Post-dexamethasone serum cortisol values decreased by an average of 18% 6 hours post-injection.