There is an interesting long past FHL discussion called "Not Treating
Adrenal Disease" on what adrenal disease can do.  Here is the part
written by Dr. Bruce Williams:
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG5054
 
>I think that Melissa and Sukie have covered the dire possibilities
>very well (and they are very real.)
>
>However, even under the best conditions, when there is no malignancy,
>there is no bone marrow toxicosis, there is no prostatic cystic disease -
>even the most mild prediction is a sad one.  Ferrets with adrenal disease
>have a diminished quality of life - they have progressive muscle loss,
>low grade anemia, they tend to redistribute weight to the abdomen,
>further making it difficult to walk, they have an increased incidence of
>gastric ulcers as a result of the stress of chronic illness, decreased
>bone density - none life-threatening, but all life-compromising.  Even
>medical treatment, which is not my preferred way of treating adrenal
>disease, gives slight releif to symptoms.  Doing nothing is not kind and
>not in a ferret's best interest.
 
At times more rare things can occur such as unusual thoracic fat deposits
(a bad thing).
 
Also see:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
 
Lupron and Suprelorin: These have made the vet news quite a bit recently
and I've heard that a major European study is underway with Suprelorin
Depot, which I guess will be Suprelorin's 4th if nothing new comes out in
the meantime .  They work using a different mechanism than melatonin and
unlike melatonin the DEPOT versions HAVE caused SOME adrenal growths to
SHRINK in studies.  They have STALLED others.  On the other hand, some
are not responsive and those appear to predominantly be malignant ones --
for which timely surgery is the only decent approach -- so that
possibility still remains if surgery is not done.  These meds somewhat
imitate the hormonal signal that turns off the continuous LH production.
If surgery is impossible one of these meds should be used.
 
Melatonin:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm pretty well says it all.
Melatonin is interesting.  The bone loss that goes along with adrenal
disease in ferrets is more and more likely NOT caused by the adrenal
disease nor by the continuous LH stimulation that increasing evidence
supports as being involved in the formation of adrenal growths in
ferrets.  Instead, it may be caused by the overproduction of FSH.  BUT
the overproduction of BOTH LH and FSH by the pituitary (which is itself
NOT diseased in these cases according to multiple studies, but is merely
doing its job in relation to what signals it does and does not get) have
a common cause.  Guess what it is?  UNDERproduction of melatonin by the
pineal gland due to too much light exposure (not enough total darkness).
Melatonin plays a LOT of roles in the mammal body.  It is one of the best
antioxidants so helps in the ways that those help, including reducing
rates of some malignancies, it is involved in multiple communication
pathways, and it has recently been found to be an important player for
the marrow.  If your vet gets the Journal of Exotic Mammal Medicine and
Surgery see if you can read the two fascinating articles in a recent
edition, one by Dr. Jerry Murray and one by Dr. Johnson-Delaney.  You
might find that you will also want to search on their names, Dr. Nico
Schoemakker, and others found in the bibliographies in relation to the
work with these medical approaches.  Melatonin does NOT shrink adrenal
tumors in any ferret studies to date (and there have been a pile of them)
despite doing so in rabbits; however, it does STALL some.  The same
problem remains, though: the growths which most need to come out in a
timely fashion appear to be the least affected, and the only way to know
what type of growth is present is to do surgery.
 
Melatonin's effects on adrenal growths in ferrets is much less than that
of Lupron or Suprelorin.
 
Melatonin CAN (and SHOULD) be used with Lupron and the effect is even
more improved over either from vets' comments.  I do not know if there
exists at this time any work combining Suprelorin and melatonin in
treatment.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
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[Posted in FML issue 4957]