Sukie and I have, as always, been engaged in a diaglogue about the benefits
and considerations in using herbs in the treatment of our ferrets.  Sukie
said,
>It pays to always check on things like side effects or
>contraindications...".
 
Here's one you all should be aware of and could be fatal.
 
Since many ferrets experience heart problems, one herb that might be of
interest would be hawthorne.  Sukie found (from Tyler's Honest Herbal by
Varro Tyler and Steven Foster, Haworth Herbal Press) that hawthorne MIGHT
hold some future promise if it doesn't interfere with meds known to work
since there is a study showing that it does help lower blood pressure by
dilating major vessels.  We don't know if anyone duplicated the study but
hawthorne appears to have low toxicity and the author said that further
studies ARE needed.
 
This seems benign enough.  But suppose you didn't tell your vet you were
giving your ferret hawthorne and the vet prescribed enalapril (Enacard).
My vet says that enalapril is the single best drug for treating heart
problems.
 
From Hillyer and Quesenberry page 67:
"Ferrets appear to be sensitive to the hypotensive effects of
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and can become lethargic and
inappetent 1 to several days after the start of angiotensin-converting
enzyme inhibitor therapy." In other words, the blood pressure may drop.
 
Combine hawthorne and enalapril and it could kill your ferret.  My own
Magellan was extrememly sensitive to enalapril.  He developed problems
over the course of several weeks and almost died before we could figure
out what was wrong (this was in the days before Hillyer's book).
 
Susan Brown (in Hillyer page 109) says "All avenues should be investigated
for their potential merit" and lists some adjunct therapies that "may be
beneficial supplements to support the patient suffering from this disease
[lymphoma]".  Susan then lists some adjunct therapies she has used for
lymphoma (Vitamin C, Pau d'Arco, Essiac, pycnogenol, and Acemannan
Immunostimulant).
 
Please, PLEASE, know what an herb is used for, know the contraindications,
know the interactions, and know the side effects.  And it certainly doesn't
hurt to know your source to be sure it's pure and of the correct potentcy.
 
-Carla
[Posted in FML issue 2788]