>From:    Kathy Lucy <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: New Treatment for Ferret Adrenal Disease !
>During the recent Exotic Pet Medicine Conference at Texas A&U, Dr. Cathy
>Johnson Delaney from the University of Washington presented information on
>the use of Lupron Depot (Leuprolide Acetate) to treat those nonsurgical
>ferrets and those ferrets that have already had surgery.  <SNIP>
>             Jerry Murray, DVM, Animal Clinic of Farmers Branch
 
Dear Dr. Murray.  Thank you so much for writing this letter!!!!  Cathy
Johnson-Delaney, DVM, is one of my vets, and a wonderful fuzzy mom, herself.
She treated her own late fuzzy, the sweet Robbie, successfully with Lysodren
and Lupron.  I've been spreading the word on Lupron via the Ferret
Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing list for about 10 months, now.  I think Lupron is
invaluable, among other benefits, as a tool in saving ferrets that might
otherwise experience, often fatal, urinary tract blockages due to
prostate-related problems brought on by adrenal disease.  Lupron is an
excellent adjunct to Lysodren therapy (more on that in a sec).  At the very
least, Lupron alone can buy some invaluable time prior to implementing
Lysodren or surgical therapies.
 
For anyone wanting more info on Lupron, including an uptodate article my Dr.
Delaney, info on her own adrenal/insulinomic fuzzy Robbie's successful
therapies, clips from my personal correspondence with her about Lupron and
Lysodren, and info on her theories regarding the role photoperiods may play
in adrenal disease (with comments about Lupron), write me at my above
address.  As ususal, I'll be happy to add you to the adrenal/insulinoma
digest list I maintain if you ask).  My info also touches on Cathy's
Lysodren regimen, which is based on pulsed doses which the chance for
toxicity, which often ends therapy before it begins by ensuring the fuzzy is
taken off Lysodren...
 
I know of one other vet using Lupron, a friend of Cathy's, David Kupersmith,
DVM.  He's out on the East Coast somewhere, PA, NY, or WA DC... I don't know
of others yet.  She says that Dr. Kupersmith is having good using it as an
adjunct to Lysodren therapy, where fuzzies aren't recovering well on
Lysodren therapy alone.  The marvelous part of your message, Dr. Murray, is
your making it available to your clients!  When one person sets out to get
it the price ($400-500 for the human dose) and storage necessities (-70
degrees) are large hurdles.  Cathy says it works out to about $15/shot when
divided up, though, not bad every three weeks (plus vet costs of course!).
I've wondered if it couldn't be purchased, divided and shipped, so that
Lupron partners, even if not geographically near, could share the large
dosage Lupron is sold as... any ideas?
 
Like I always say, and it takes on added meaning in the case of adrenal
fuzzies,
 
Fuzzy hugs to all (especially vets who take the time to go to conferences
and learn more about our beloved fur kids)!
 
Lynn Mc.  and the marvelous little fuzzy gang, even very furry, adrenal
fuzzy Wally!
[Posted in FML issue 2208]