http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/7314

>You have some good questions about the best way to medically treat
>adrenal gland disease. There have been several melatonin studies on
>adrenal ferrets, including an implant study that was just completed at
>Colorado Sate University. Plus there was an oral melatonin study that
>was done at the University of Wisconsin. Plus there was a melatonin
>implant study by Dr James Johnson (from Texas A&M) and I. Plus there
>was a melatonin implant study done by Dr Cathy Johnson-Delaney in
>Seattle, Washington. Thus there is a lot of info about melatonin,
>so I can answer most of your questions. No, melatonin is not "only
>cosmetic." The oral melatonin study and all 3 melatonin implant
>studies have shown that melatonin lowers the adrenal hormones. In Dr
>Johnson-Delaney's paper she wrote, "The melatonin implant appeared to
>be similarly effective as monthly administration of Lupron." The
>melatonin ferret actually had slightly lower hormone levels than the
>Lupron ferret. In the recently completed melatonin implant study at
>Colorado State University, there was a decrease in all 9 ferrets
>hormone levels, clinical resolution in all 9 ferrets, and the owners
>gave a very high quality of life score. Plus there were no changes in
>the blood glucose level, and none of the 9 ferrets became resistant
>to the melatonin implants. The oral melatonin study also proved that
>melatonin can shrink an enlarged prostate. As you can see that is much
>more than just a cosmetic effect. Melatonin also lowers prolactin
>levels which may help prevent the adrenal gland from becoming bigger.
>There are melatonin receptors on adrenal glands that may also help
>prevent an adrenal gland from becoming large. Melatonin also stimulates
>the bone marrow to make red blood cells which should treat or prevent
>the anemia that is common with adrenal gland disease. Thus it helps
>with all 3 serious complications of adrenal gland disease (prostatic
>enlargement, estrogen induced anemia, and adrenal gland enlargement).
>In addition melatonin is a powerful antioxidant, free radical
>scavenger, and an appetite stimulant. Again a lot more than just
>cosmetic effects! With that said, Lupron is a very good medication
>too. Thus I would recommend using BOTH melatonin and Lupron to get the
>best results and to decrease the odds of the adrenal gland enlarging.
>
>As for preventing adrenal gland disease, there has not been any
>published study yet. Thus all we have is anecdotal suggestions. You can
>certainly start a young kit on Lupron and use it monthly throughout the
>kits life to prevent adrenal gland disease. However I do not believe
>one injection of the monthly Lupron once a year (in the spring) will
>actually prevent adrenal gland disease. If you want to try that option,
>then I would suggest using the 4 month version of Lupron instead of
>the monthly version. When the Suprelorin (Deslorelin) implants become
>available in the US, then using them once a year in the spring will
>be the way to go. The Suprelorin implants last for a year or more.
>
>The lifespan for an adrenal ferret depends on a lot of things. My own
>ferret made it to 8.5 years old. He became adrenal at 3.5 years of
>age. However some ferrets develop prostate problems, or estrogen
>induced anemia, or have large adrenal carcinomas and do not live as
>long. Other ferrets will develop insulinoma, lymphoma, heart disease,
>etc., in addition to the adrenal disease and will not live as long.
>However with treatment a ferret with just adrenal disease should have
>a normal life span of 6-7 years of age.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM

Carried with author's permission to the FML by FHL co-moderator:
Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6070]