>I adopted my two fuzzies from a rescue here in Texas...
>Confirmed this week that Wanda is adrenal, but hasn't lost all of her
>fur yet. My vet believes she is a good candidate for a Deslorelin
>implant, but explained that the implant comes from Australia (true??)
>and hasn't been approved in the US for ferrets (also true??).

Deslorelin implants have not been approved by the FDA yet because the
company has not yet invested $$$ in the studies required for approval.
They are starting to move forward with that. The specific implant is
Suprelorin, 4.7mg.

>Do your vets have any problems getting the implant?

Suprelorin is manufactured mostly in Australia. It can be imported by
vets directly by filing the correct paperwork (I'm sure Sukie has the
reference in the archives), but there is no distributor in the US until
it is approved.

>I'm just trying to continue my learning and make an informed decision.
>I would love to hear your opinions and also potential costs I should
>be prepared for.

Costs always vary widely, but somewhere in the range of $200 for the
implant seems common. The implant lasts ~12 - 20 months. The two common
treatments for Adrenal disease are Lupron and surgery. Personally, I've
been using Lupron on my own, and my shelter's ferrets for years with
very good results. Deslorelin works in the same way as Lupron does, but
since it's an implant, the level of medicine in the system is far more
constant than with monthly shots. In the long run it's considerably
cheaper as well. I would highly recommend going that route.

>The one question I've been too afraid to ask, how long can I expect
>for our Wanda to live with adrenal disease?

I've personally had ferrets with full-blown Adrenal disease, on monthly
Lupron shots, for many years, living full and healthy lives. The
prognosis is excellent if you keep the treatments up.

Kevin Farlee
President
Washington Ferret Rescue & Shelter

[Posted in FML 7076]