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>From:  Hillary Gorman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: About Chemotherapy...
>just wanted to briefly de-lurk to straighten out what seems to be a common
>point of confusion about chemotherapy.  Chemotherapy is simply "treatment
>of disease, usually cancer, by chemicals." ...personally, I find it helpful
>to be more precise.
 
Hi Hillary.  You're right of course.  I should have written "info about
other chemos, besides Lysodren, for treating adrenal disease".  A vet in
town is suggesting drugs other than Lysodren, reasoning, as I've been told
by a client of the vet's, that Lysodren kills off cortisone-secreting
adrenal cells but is not effective, or as effective, against
estrogen-secreting adrenal cells.
 
So to simplify my question, has anyone any experience with chemo drugs other
than Lysodren for treating adrenal disease (usually, when surgery is no
longer an option)?  Can anyone provide any references to articles or
firsthand stories of ferrets receiving other chemo treatments for adrenal
disease?
 
Hey Pam, do you have the names of the chemo drugs your vets recommend?  What
side effects are involved?  Who else is using the drugs?  Any idea of
longterm negative effects/things to watch for?  I already know it's
EXPENSIVE, caps intended, not that that's a barrier, but it would be nice to
hear some success stories first!
 
I'm certainly not advocating one over the other, as I've heard good things
and great success (as well as unsuccessful) stories about Lysodren.  (I
think I would at least try a chemo drug, given the option.  I might try
Lysodren first, before launching on the more expensive course, depending on
the info I got).  Just that I may be looking at what to do when surgery is
not an option in the future, and I have a friend who is looking at that
decision now.  We're on the West Coast where vets aren't as experienced due
to less ferrets than on the East Coast, though we have darn dedicated vets
and some with pretty good ferret experience.  For example, of the
experienced, one vet doesn't prescribe Lysodren (reasoning unknown potential
toxic effects), another prescribes different chemo drugs, (another might
prescribe Lysodren)... all good vets... lots of differences... not near as
many ferrets to practice on as in the East, though hopefully more and more.
 
This would probably be a good question for the AOL small animal vets - does
anyone know anything about this service on AOL?  Or subscribe?  Is this
something someone would/could ask there?  Or do you need to be a vet?
 
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Thanks and hugs to all the fuzzies,
 
Lynn Mc.
[Posted in FML issue 1917]