Hello All:
 
Two weeks ago I posted that we were beginning experimental adrenal
treatments using a relatively new (in ferrets anyway) drug named Anipryl.
I've been making weekly posts on what we've seen so far.
 
Quick background
----------------
Newone is an 8 year old neutered female who has had inoperable adrenal
tumors since she was 6.  Most of her hair is gone, but the use of colloidal
silver seems to have stabilized her disease.
 
Puck is a 6 year old albino neutered male, with intact scent glands.  He was
diagnosed with adrenal in 1995 and had the right adrenal removed (the easy
one).  This past Christmas he suffered a nasty bite to the neck which got
severely infected, had to be operated on, and which seemed to retrigger his
adrenal.  Hair regrowth in the wounded area was very slow, and his hair
began thinning out along portions of his spine and tail in classic adrenal
fashion.
 
In response to these problems, our vet suggested treatment with Anipryl,
which she has been using successfully in dogs.  Dosage is .5mg per day per
weasel, with the pill hidden in a raisin.  We began treatment on 2/20/98.
 
Results So Far
--------------
Our vet believed we would not see any results until about 1 month of
treatment.
 
For most of the last week it seemed that the ferrets were drinking rather a
lot of water.  This could be induced by the drug, or a sign of kidney
problems, or just a cold (they all have snotty noses just now).  Given that
there are no other signs, our vet is inclined to believe it's just the drug.
It does have a slightly bitter, mealy aftertaste to it.
 
The phenominal hair regrowth that we've seen in Puck has continued.  Hair
has sprung up everywhere it was thinning out along his neck and spine, and
some has finally begun creeping down his tail towards the tip.  In the wound
on his neck, where he had to be shaved and operated on, his hair is nearly
an inch long and almost matches his non-cut hair.  Color of the new hair is
stil rather yellow; we're not sure if that's because it's new growth, if the
color has been induced by the drug, or if he's just dirty.  A bath should
help us make a determination.
 
On Wednesday, 3/4/98, Puck went in to our vet for a checkup.  She was
astonished by the amount of hair he'd put out, and *more* surprised to find
that his weight was up 2 ounces!  (Note: He wasn't particularly thin
before.) She asked to draw some blood so she could check his blood chemistry
(results aren't back yet) and so shaved part of his neck to draw the blood.
 
By Thursday evening he had 1/8" hair stubble filling in the shaved neck area.
 
Puck continues to be alert, bright, and playful.
 
Newone continues to be bouncy and alert.  Her energy levels are definitely
higher than they have been, and she seems somewhat steadier in her footing
than before.  She hasn't yet begun any hair growth (nor do we expect her to
given her advanced condition) but her skin is smooth and pink and healthy,
with none of the dry scaly texture associated with adrenal.
 
Newone's weight was up 1 1/2 ounces on Wednesday.
 
Summary
-------
 
Puck:    Very aggressive hair growth, weight up 2 ounces, alert and happy
Newone:  No hair growth, healthier skin, weight up 1 1/2 ounces, alert and
         happy
 
We continue to be very encouraged by the results we've had.  Now that our
vet has had a chance to see the kids she's similarly impressed.  We should
have the results of the blood work back sometime next week, and I'll include
those findings in my next posting.
 
So far, so good....
 
Steve, from the High Mountains of Colorado
"Don't Trust Anyone Under 14,000 Feet"
[Posted in FML issue 2240]