Hi everyone!
 
I read a couple days ago someone asking about Anipryl -- I wrote the animal
hospital and vet who performed the study back in August, since I was so
excited about the possibility of a new adrenal treatment for ferrets!  The
Hospital was the West Los Angeles Animal Hospital.
 
Apparently, the adrenal problems that they studied in dogs were caused by
the Pituitary gland(Cushings disease or Hyperadrenocorticism), and Anipryl
is an effective blocker of the hormones that the pituitary secretes --unlike
ferrets, where 90% + of the adrenal problems are caused by growths on the
actual gland.  According to the results of the study, The majority of cases
in dogs is due to the hypersecretion of adrenocorticotripic hormone (ACTH)
and termed pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism, which then results in
bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and overproduction of cortisol.  Now, if I
have translated this correctly, the basic difference between "adrenal dogs"
and "adrenal ferrets" is that in dogs, the condition is driven by the
pituitary gland, which causes the adrenal to overproduce cortisone, while in
ferrets, the condition is driven by (usually) a neoplasia on the adrenal
gland(s) themselves, causing the overproduction of cortisone.  Same
condition, different cause.  I have the study and results if anyone is
interested.  I was SOOO disappointed to hear that!
 
I also want to thank some folks for helping me -- Freddie Hoffman, Sukie
Crandall, Troy Lynn Eckart, Dick Bossart, Pam Greene, Bob Church, CDFA,
Ann & Howard Davis(and if I inadvertently left someone out, I sincerely
apologize!): Thank you for your help, information and support with this
inservice rabies training I did with the Health Department.  I will now be
moving onward and upward to another rabies conference as a speaker, with my
topic being rabies, ferrets and the 1998 Compendium.  I couldn't have done
this without you!
 
(I sent a private email to Minta already, but I thought it might be
worthwhile to include for general posting on the FML:) I read your posting
on the FML and wanted to respond to it.  The symptoms that you have
described --
 
>1. she's developing a rash around her genital area, and it looks like it's
>bordering on bleeding...I put a call in to the vet but I'm not sure if I
>should take her NOW b/c she's going tomorrow afternoon anyway?
 
This rash is sounds actually like a burn, from her urinating on herself.  A
good medicated diaper rash creme, especially one with a topical pain killer
will work.  Since she has no control over her bladder, constant contact with
her urine is burning her skin.  The diaper rash medicine will put a
protective coating on her skin, until she recovers.
 
Feeding an unwilling ferret is made easier with syringes, but I also try to
dip the end of the syringe in something that Elsa may like, so that she
opens her mouth.  Try switching sides from which you are force-feeding (from
the right, try instead the left).  Also try to use a smaller syringe to feed
her with.  A vet can give you pretty much any needleless syringe to attempt
force-feeding.
 
I only make enough duck soup for 36 hours - morning, afternoon, evening,
night and then the next morning.  Depending on the ingredients, it could
last up to a week.  Pedialyte loses electrolytes after 48 hours of opening
the bottle, so I switched to Pedia pops.  Yes, you can freeze the duck soup
and the pedialyte.
 
I hope this helps, Happy Ferreting and good luck, Elsa!
 
Lisa, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
[Posted in FML issue 2189]