Deslorelin (Suprelorin) is also a treatment (and possibly preventative
option) and there are -- let's see, I think it is currently 4 studies
in publication -- and others in progress including a very large one.
 
This medication is not available in the U.S. yet, BUT the manufacturing
company last year applied for permission to sell (and possibly also
manufacture it since a property was being considered according to some
news reports) it in the U.S.  This med is a similar compound to Lupron,
but cheaper and it can be given in forms that last for more months than
Lupron.  It has been and is in study in the U.S.  as well as elsewhere.
 
Suprelorin is used for ferrets with adrenal disease in Australia (where
the manufacturer is based), Europe (at least a number of countries),
and South America so far.
 
Whether it will be as good as Lupron depot is to be seen, but it might
be.
 
Lupron works well and using it in conjunction with melatonin is even
better.
 
Some people use only melatonin and that certainly is a lot better than
nothing at all, but it is better to use it with Lupron.  I do not know
if Suprelorin and melatonin together has yet been tested.
 
Miamiferret will certainly have detailed info on it once it is okayed
for sale here (if economic protestations don't stop that) and maybe
before that.  Here are some HIGHLY RECOMMENDED articles at that site:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/basics.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/24hr_lupron.htm
 
Lysodren, meanwhile, has virtually disappeared from this use since it was
so variable, sometimes not working while other times causing so much
adrenal atrophy that Addisons Crises occurred.
 
Personal experiences with tail blackheads and rattail vary.  Some people
have virtually always had such ferrets turn out to have underlying
adrenal disease.  Others, including us, have also had multiple ferrets
who never developed adrenal disease but appeared to just have a dermal
condition.  It is not an obvious call...
 
Re: Florida law:  Katherine wrote:
>Actually the new law says the duration is to be according to the
>manufacturer's directions.  For dogs and cats, that's 3 years.  For
>ferrets, that's 1 year.
 
That is safer for ferrets than a legal challenge of a ferret who has
gone longer without.  Thanks for finding the legislation, Katherine.
Now, if the ferret community could get up the funds and get vaccine
researchers interested to test vaccines to see if longer amounts of time
between vaccinations would be possible with the vaccines still being
effective that would be wonderful...
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5114]