Just so you know: Surgery is the approach of choice because it is the
only proven curative approach so far, though repeated Lupron shots MIGHT
(the jury is still out) shrink some cases of neoplasia (but not shrink
possible malignancies).  When the ferret is not a surgical candidate
then Lupron and melatonin are used.  Also, they are used as possible
preventatives in multiple ways and these ideas are still under
investigation.  Going with just melatonin is not going to cure your
ferret, though it can reduce at least one symptom for a while.  It's
not a substitute for surgery or for Lupron but it is better than no
care at all.  You're best off seeking your vets' care instead.
 
Rachel, it is very common for a ferret to recover fast, but they can have
set-backs and some have even died if they were too active too soon after
surgery: so not running till she has been at least a week and preferably
10 days from surgery and especially no climbing.
 
Boy, does Claire read WELL!  Like so many others I never noticed that
an anonymous poster thought that the abuser had a shelter and was taking
of that non-existent "shelter".  I do think that at least one of the
anonymous posters did raise some valid questions.  I had to first calm
myself after some of the anonymous posts because I know how hard people
who run shelters work and I know that i couldn't do it, but then a
re-reading uncovered some reasonable questions.  In this case the
questions can be answered easily enough: there are ways to channel funds
that should reassure even the most worried poster, and Animal Control
itself was and continues to be involved.  On the other hand, if a person
instead looks at these questions in light of a hoarder mother and
daughter combo in Utah who was mentioned by a different poster and her
animal control boyfriend who refused to go after her for animal abuse
at her fake "shelter" then a different picture is painted, and in that
case my own personal suspicion is that it would be worth trying to find
an investigative reporter who would love to do a high sympathy story
like animal abuse, a horror story such as bad conditions produce, and a
governmental employee cheating the tax payers who pay his salary type of
story all rolled into one.
 
Hey , thanks for the info on muscle mass and shows!  (Though I have to
say that early-spayed Ashling who still takes a remote control that
weighs 25% of what she weighs herself up 4' in a the closet to hide it at
age 6 and 1/2 years thinks that she is pretty muscular.  Until maybe a
1/2 to 3/4 of a year ago she was still taking it 8' up.  Then again,
Ashling is unusually athletic and not the average at all -- which she
also would point out.)
[Posted in FML issue 4231]