Hello All:
 
Four weeks ago I posted that we were beginning experimental adrenal
treatments using a relatively new (in ferrets anyway) drug named Anipryl.
I've been making weekly posts on what we've seen so far.
 
Quick background
----------------
Newone is an 8 year old neutered female who has had inoperable adrenal
tumors since she was 6.  Most of her hair is gone, but the use of colloidal
silver seems to have stabilized her disease.
 
Puck is a 6 year old albino neutered male, with intact scent glands.  He was
diagnosed with adrenal in 1995 and had the right adrenal removed (the easy
one).  This past Christmas he suffered a nasty bite to the neck which got
severely infected, had to be operated on, and which seemed to retrigger his
adrenal.  Hair regrowth in the wounded area was very slow, and his hair
began thinning out along portions of his spine and tail in classic adrenal
fashion.
 
In response to these problems, our vet suggested treatment with Anipryl,
which she has been using successfully in dogs.  Dosage is .5mg per day per
weasel, with the pill hidden in a raisin.  We began treatment on 2/20/98.
 
Results So Far
--------------
Our vet believed we would not see any results until about 1 month of
treatment.
 
The ferrets being treated continue to drink more water than 'normal', but
we've seen no particular downside to that.  We are scheduled to take Puck in
for another blood test sometime next week to continue monitoring for any
kidney or liver related problems as a side effect of the drug, however.
 
Puck's hair continues to come in rapidly.  His neck hair where he was
initially wounded is essentially back to full length, though it's a bit
shorter where he still has some scabbing.  The patch on his throat that was
shaved for the blood test in nearly full length, though it will likely be
shaved again when his next test occurs (poor baby).  There's a lot of
stubble at the tip of his tail and longer hairs up the tail towards his
spine.
 
Puck does feel like his weight may have dropped slightly in the last week,
though this could be due to yet another cold that's swept through the kids.
 
Puck continues to be alert, bright, and playful.
 
Newone remains much the same as she was, bouncy and alert.  Her energy
levels are definitely higher than they have been, and she seems somewhat
steadier in her footing than before.  Her very slight hair growth has
continued, though again nothing at all like Puck's.  She's got very short
and fine hairs coming in on her back paws now in addition to what we've
seen on her flanks and tail.
 
 
Summary
-------
 
  Puck:    Continued aggressive hair growth, possible slight weight loss;
           alert and happy
  Newone:  Very slight hair growth in areas, healthier skin, alert and happy
 
  We'll post results of Puck's next blood test once it's done.
 
Steve, from the High Mountains of Colorado
"Don't Trust Anyone Under 14,000 Feet"
[Posted in FML issue 2254]