>I have an 8 year old female ferret who has been on Pediapred since
>September for insulinoma.  Since starting the Pediapred, her fur has
>thinned quite a bit.  She is not displaying any other outward signs of
>adrenal disease (no vulva swelling or behavior changes), but I know that
>with her age, that could be a possibility.  But is it also possible that
>the Pediapred is contributing to her hair loss?
 
While it is possible that the pred is causing the hairloss, I would look
for other signs of adrenal disease (increased itching, alopecia on the
hind paws, etc) that may be more subtle.
 
>In case it is adrenal disease, what are the treatment options for an 8
>year old ferret with insulinoma and adrenal disease?  I would guess that
>surgery might do more harm than good at this point.  In terms of medical
>management, Lysodren or Lupron?  Are there any contraindications of either
>of these with Pediapred usage?  She goes to the vet this week, and I'd
>like to be aware of our available options.
 
I'd vote for Lupron myself - much better efficacy with fewer side effects,
in my experience.
 
-Dr. Karen
DISCLAIMER:
This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only.  It is in
no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified
licensed veterinarian.  If you are concerned about your pet's health, you
should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible.
 
 ---------
>While it is possible that the pred is causing the hairloss, I would look
>for other signs of adrenal disease (increased itching, alopecia on the
>hind paws, etc) that may be more subtle.
 
(bhw) While excessive doses of prednisone, or lower doses given over moths
or years can result in hair loss in traditional domestic species - this
is extremely rare in ferrets.  They are quite resistant to the prolonged
effects of prednisone, although I suspect if you gave enough pred for a
long enough period, you could induce a cushingoid syndrome, with its
resultant alopecia.  But I strongly agree with Dr. Purcell here - adrenal
disease is by far the more likely possibility.
 
>>In case it is adrenal disease, what are the treatment options for an 8
>>year old ferret with insulinoma and adrenal disease?  I would guess that
>>surgery might do more harm than good at this point.  In terms of medical
>>management, Lysodren or Lupron?  Are there any contraindications of
>>either of these with Pediapred usage?  She goes to the vet this week,
>>and I'd like to be aware of our available options.
 
Actually, you are asking us to guess here as well.  It is exceedingly
difficult to assess surgical candidacy of a ferret online - chronological
age is generally not a factor.  If there is no evidence of heart or renal
disease, if the glucose is well regulated, and the vet is a good surgeon
and anesthetist - surgery may well be an option.
 
I do see a worrisome trend, though, but not unexpected - people tend to
rely on medical therapy knowing that the treatment does not reduce the size
or growth of adrenal tumors, but simply blocks the effects of the estrogen.
However, if medical therapy is considered to be the best option, then
Lysodren is really not a consideration.  The effects of Lysodren are
unpredictable - the same dosage could do nothing in one ferret, and wipe
out the adrenals in another (although it is more likely that it will do
nothing.) Lupron is safe, and effective in hair regrowth, and to a smaller
extent, reversing some of the lethargy associated with the adrenal disease.
 
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
 
Join the Ferret Health List at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
[Posted in FML issue 3356]