>The reason for my writing is I was told that now that Virbac has
>bought the rights in the USA, the USA will not be allowing import of
>Des from Australia.

Virbac is doing the importing for now, and at some point will be
manufacturing them in the US. It takes a long time to get a new
production line certified by the FDA. In the meantime, yes, you
can no longer import directly from Australia. That of course only
applies to the US, and not to Canada.

>The vet also informed us that the price of the implants have DOUBLED
>(the cost to the vet). My worry is that now vets everywhere, instead
>of just adding on that additional doubled coast (what >they cost $20
>something each?) they will double the actual cost of the implant
>procedure and all itself. I am not happy.

Well, actually Virbac has doubled the price that THEY charge. When you
import them directly from Australia, you have to pay the customs fees,
which in this case was a 100% fee that went to the US government. You
no longer are paying that fee, so the net is the cost to the vet is
basically unchanged. More of it is going to Virbac which means they're
making more profit. I'm grumpy about that but it won't change the
pricing at vets unless the vet decides to take a bigger markup.

>And of course there was talk of using the implants to prevent adrenal
>by using them in unneutered ferrets; however, almost the entire US
>gets supplied with already neutered kits. There is not really any use
>except if you get a private bred ferret. He suggested also that every
>ferret, even neutered, gets one. I am not so sure; I thought then if
>you had a tumor growing, you may not realize it....if I went the
>route of going every ferret gets a yearly implant, I would certainly
>suggest an ultrasound then at the time of the new implant. Maybe I am
>just crazy.

Actually, the study (which two of mine are in) is to use des implants
in very young ferrets who ARE neutered/spayed to see if the deslorelin
keeps the hormones from going out of balance due to being altered,
which ultimately is one of the main triggers for Adrenal disease. It's
why Adrenal disease in intact ferrets is so much less common.

Kevin Farlee

[Posted in FML 7569]