Deb, I ran into a news article yesterday that some hotels have people
there with ferrets.

<http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2007-10-24-california-fires-hotels_N.htm>
---
Next topic:
>There are several studies that indicate melatonin helps reduce some of
>the hormones related to adrenal and is beneficial. On the other hand,
>there are also studies indicating it's effects are strictly cosmetic.

Melatonin CAN help with ferrets who have adrenal growth but is NOT the
optimal solution when by itself. Better is to use it WITH Lupron Depot
or Suprelorin/deslorelin depot (Hope I spelled those right on less than
5 hours sleep.). The second has not yet been approved for
non-experimental use.

There are at least two researchers (Dr. Nico Schoemaker, Dr. Cathy
Johnson-Delaney) who have found that melatonin can be refractory (stop
working after a while). The oral version seems to stop having effect
quickest (8 to 10 months, if memory serves). Implants not only
themselves last longer but that way of using melatonin apparently
takes longer before it becomes refractory. The old studies on using
complete darkness indicate that the melatonin the body itself produces
in response to darkness is possibly effective the longest.

Making it even more complicated, there is debate whether added
melatonin might be good or bad when insulinoma is ALREADY present. It
actually is involved in two opposing pancreatic functions and no one
knows how often or when it is in the noise, potentially helpful, or
potentially a problem, so if insulinoma is also present it might pay
to first try either more darkness or the oral version first since each
wears off in hours as opposed to an implant.

Now, it IS important to recall that melatonin can regrow fur for
entirely dermal reasons, so regrowing fur does not mean that it is
tackling the adrenal growth, and if the growth is worse than just
hyperplasia it might not be doing so.

Some things to read:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
posts on these topics by AFERRETVET in the FHL Archives
Note in ones like this year's
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL1843
>Lupron and Deslorelin both work at the pituitary level to stop the
>production of LH. Without LH there is no stimulation to the adrenal
>glands. Without the stimulation from LH, the adrenal gland stops
>producing hormones. Plus cases of hyperplasia (and possibly even
>adenomas) may become smaller and may even return to normal size with
>Lupron or Deslorelin treatment. However they do not work directly on
>the adrenal glands. Melatonin works a little differently. It works at
>the hypothalamus level to reduce LH production.
>It may also work directly on the adrenal glands thru melatonin
>receptors on the adrenal glands! This helps to prevent the adrenal
>gland from getting bigger.
by Dr. Jerry Murray

To read of the dermal effect look for the abstract within:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YPG439

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5772]