My vet is working directly with Dr. Nico Shoemaker in the Netherlands.
He's the primary researcher who's been studying deslorelin for several
years and documenting its effects on ferrets.

I was talking to my vet today about the implants, and she had just
gotten off the phone with the manufacturer, who said there IS NO MORE
until December 7th. That's when their next batch is going to be done.
They were TOTALLY unprepared for the volume of requests coming from
ferret people.

In the conversation, we discussed the buzz on the internet, and she
made a comment that needs to be heard: According to the company that
manufactures the implants, they have not manufactured, much less
exported to the US, enough of the Suprelorin 4.7mg implants to account
for all of the stories going around.

There is another form of Deslorelin implant which is designed for
horses, and is a 2.1mg dose. It goes by the brand name Ovuplant. Dr.
Shoemaker, explored this implant and found that since it is a different
compounding, and a different dosage, not only is it not effective for
ferrets, but it seems to have a detrimental effect. Unfortunately, it
is also widely available in the US, making it easy for a vet to obtain
it and give it as a "Deslorelin implant", which it technically is. Just
not the one that will help ferrets.

My concern is two-fold:
1) I'm concerned that vets will knowingly or through not understanding
the difference, give the wrong implant to ferrets, and have them not
improve.
2) I'm really afraid that in about a year or two, based on #1 above,
you'll see a wave of "That Deslorelin crap is just expensive nonsense.
It doesn't work" sweep the ferret community, and cause a medicine which
could greatly improve the lives of ferrets to be ignored.

If you're getting deslorelin implants for your ferrets, ask your vet
what the brand name is. Ovuplant is the horse one which does not work
well for ferrets. It's a 2.1mg dose. Suprelorin is the one which does
work for ferrets. It's a 4.7mg dose.

Kevin Farlee

[Posted in FML 6503]