In response to Jeff's experience with Pop and the Deslorelin implant.

Like in all medicines what does good for one does not necessarily do
well for all others. There has not been a lot of study done on what
damage is done by these tumors in the males having prostrate trouble.

Here at the rescue, just last week, our little boy Chaysen underwent a
surgery to build him a new tube for his peepeer. He had been released
to a foster home previously and we had him on Lupron plus we knew the
prostrate was having troubles. We received our shipment of Deslorelin
and in Sept he got the implant WITH a Lupron. He was already swelling
up horribly and the vet removed 100 ccs of fluid and he was put on meds
we have secured for prostrate problems. He was to stay on them but
unfortunately the foster home thought it was just for a month to see
how it worked. When I found out he wasn't given the meds, got him back
and into the vet. They pulled 125 ccs and got a batch of meds for him.
Had him on it 2 weeks, he was swollen back again. Tues into surgery to
rebuild him a tube for a his peepeer. Vet told me she didn't think he
would make it after doing the ultrasound but we decided to try anyway.
When she opened him up, he was a mess. She was able to remove the
adrenal which was abscessed. The infection had eat away his urethra
tube, his right kidney was dead, his prostrate had 2 cysts in it plus
a 3rd enclosed all 3. He couldn't handle it.

It was painful to lose him, even with us having around 60 here for
adoption and another 80+ in or going into foster homes. Normally we
can't spend that much money on a homeless ferret with little hope of
survival when so many others need surgery with good chances. Once
before we did this kind of surgery and that ferret lived on another 3
1/2 years, but it took a LOT of special care and a special foster Mom.
We decided to go for the surgery instead of just putting him down.

Now, even though he did not make it, it was not in vain. Our vet is
getting with those of more ferret knowledge, sending his body to them
for study so we will learn more of what really goes on inside when
they have these problems and thus a paper to go into the books for
other vets to get this information.

So, in time, we may be able to catch these things sooner where they
don't get out of hand. In the meantime, just my suggestion, but one
with the prostrate problem, I would go forth with the monthly Lupron
and/or both. We do have some on monthly Lupron where the prostrate
continues to give us problems, but we can see if it is working or not
and thus increase the dose of Lupron to 1 1/2 or double the dose. We
have several on the implant and they are doing great. We will try for
a year unless we see problems developing ahead of time. I believe they
originally said it would be 18 months but we don't want to start seeing
symptoms before we do anything because so much can go on inside before
we know. With time, I am sure there will be more studies and we will
know more down the road to help our little buddies.

Millie and her ferrets and Danes
www.txferretrescue.org

[Posted in FML 6911]