My name is Becky. We have used the melatonin implant for several
ferrets. In April 2010 our ferret Snowball receieved another implant.
(not her first) About 2 hours later she was pawing at her mouth,
gagging and not acting right. Luckily we hadn't made the 62 mile trip
home yet. They told us to bring her in. This was the only thing she had
had done so they took her in and removed it. We left when we knew she
was alright. I emailed Melatek and told them what happened. I received
an email back saying they had never heard of this in a ferret but would
have the vets there research it. Almost a month later they emailed
saying they found nothing. I talked to my vet the next month and she
informed me they had had another ferret do the same thing only it
happened almost immediately. She also contacted them and got the same
answer I did.

I have another ferret, Tucker, who has been on the implant over a year
so he has had at least 3. About a month ago I noticed I could feel an
implant under his skin. He had one 2 months before. I thought it was
still working and didn't think much about it. My vet said if it was
still there when I brought another ferret in for her lupron she would
remove it. She had other ferrets who still had up to 6 still there that
had to be removed. The other day I was checking to see if I could still
feel it and not only was there 1 but 2. I took him in and while he was
under for the removal they found a 3rd. She said all 3 were partly soft
and hard. She is no longer doing the implants until the company can fix
the problem. She has turned it in to the appropriate agencies. I am now
giving the 3mg melatonin pills to my melatonin ferrets.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? I feel I paid alot of money
and don't even know if they got the full effect from them.

[Posted in FML 6933]