>In an effort to begin a discussion on the Des implants and yesterday's
>post, why would you implant both Melatonin and Des? Why would you add
>another dose of either drug if the first is continuing to be
>effective?
>
>Too much of a drug can become problematic. I have read the study and
>do not understand this thinking and its benefits to the ferret. Am I
>missing some information here that might help me better grasp this?

I suppose one would use both deslorelin and melatonin for the same
reasons that we commonly see lupron and melatonin given together.
Since lupron and deslorelin are in the same family (or at least
work in similar ways), this makes sense to me.

There is, however, a danger in waiting for physical symptoms in
order to determine if it's time for another dose of either lupron or
deslorelin. Both of these drugs work by inhibiting the release of the
hormones which cause things to overload and stress the adrenal glands.
By the time you see a physical symptom, the hormone levels are already
way out of whack.

Look at it like you'd think about treating insulinoma: The name of the
game is keeping an even BG and avoiding spikes or dips. If you waited
for a seizure before giving the next pred dosage, it would NOT be good
for the ferret. That's why we never use the 4 month depot lupron: In
studies, it rarely if ever lasted the full 4 months. 1 month does last
1 month in effectiveness.

>When ferrets get Deslorin implants, are you supposed also give them
>lupron injections? What is the 4 month lupron? I have monthly Lupron,
>is it that you give them a dose of monthly lupron every 4 months or
>is there a Lupron that is good for 4 months?

Lupron and deslorelin are in the same family. You should give one or
the other, but not both. Lupron comes in several formulations: There
is a 24 hour version which provides a spike in dosage and then goes
away in 24-48 hours, causing hormone levels to rebound. There is a 1
month sustained-release version which is effective in ferrets for at
least a month. There is also a 4 month sustained formulation, but
unfortunately, that one tends to wear off before the 4 months are up
in ferrets (remember that these drugs were designed for humans - they
just happen to work well in ferrets).

Kevin Farlee

[Posted in FML 6608]