Not once have I disputed the fact that clarification for the 24 hour
Lupron is needed.  Not once.
 
I am focusing on potential life-saving information being withheld.
Without having an accurate number (which seems impossible to attain
anyway), I think it would be safe to estimate there are hundreds, if not
more, ferrets on Lupron (any form).  So how many are at risk because of
this information being withheld?  When you imply lives have been lost
because of this medication, did you not think at least ONE out of the
three-thousand plus people that subscribe to the FML would want more
info?  YOU are asking for the whole process to be made more clear so that
consumers can make a more informed decision and possibly save lives.  I
am asking for more information that may save even more.  If my vet were
to ever recommend ANY medication for one of my ferrets, and I declined
because "so-and-so said ferrets have died from it" he'd want more info.
And if I turned around and told him I didn't HAVE any, and that my
rationale behind my decision was a matter of "because he/she SAID so",
he'd look at me like I was insane.  How can ANYONE make a sound and
informed decision with that mentality?  No facts or withholding crucial
information = no improvements or advancements on existing health-care.
For anyone or anything.  Period.
 
If someone were to post on the FHL that a ferret had an adverse reaction
to something like - Benadryl, Prednisone or Baytril - all of which are
used substantially in veterinary medicine, and the ferret ultimately
died, would YOU not want further information?????  Would YOU not want
this claim substantiated?  Would you at that time continue to have an
appreciation for someone's "confidence" - when you know that MORE ferrets
could die?  And ultimately, would you even be able to understand why
someone would want to keep it confidential, knowing that other ferrets
may face the same fate because of it?
 
What is unacceptable to me, is that crucial and potentially life-saving
information is being withheld, and NOT because I don't appreciate the
need to respect someone's confidence as you've so boldly implied.  I
fully understand the concept of trust.  What I don't understand is WHY
this information is being kept confidential in the first place.  Do these
people not understand the importance of this information?  Has it not
been explained that while they've suffered a great loss, sharing this
information might save others from having to go through the same thing???
 
I once wore those rose-coloured glasses - assuming all people in the
veterinary profession were infallible and always knew what they were
doing and talking about - that's why they're vets.  But those glasses
came off 4 years ago, when my first ferret was on pred for insulinoma.
That eventually led to diabetes because I was NEVER told when I called
the vet clinic for Pred refills that she had to be brought in for
bloodwork to monitor her levels.  And after WEEKS of insisting (not
forcefully enough) that she DIDN'T have a cold, but in fact CARDIO (on
the advice of another well respected vet in this community), they finally
agreed to do an x-ray that confirmed it WAS cardio.  But it was TOO LATE.
She taught me a very valuable lesson, my precious Peanut, at a very high
price - with her life.  The lesson being that all these people are human,
and DON'T know everything, and DON'T have all the answers.  And if I'm
not happy with, or am unsure of what ANYONE is saying or doing - QUESTION
EVERYTHING.  Forget the "because they said so", with the assumption that
"they" always know what they're talking about.  And if someone believes
things are the way they are because they've always been that way, and has
nothing substantial to back it up - then move on.  Those are the same
kind of people that kept insisting the world was indeed.....flat.......
 
If you want to take my legitimate questions personally and continue to do
backflips and somersaults to avoid the issue at hand, and ultimately turn
these questions into something they weren't meant to be - that's entirely
up to you.  I think you need to step back and re-evaluate what's been
said, and re-read all of my posts.  Again, I've never challenged your
asking for product clarification regarding the 24 hour Lupron.  I simply
want to know about how the ferret(s) died, etc, so that someday I might
prevent it from happening to one of my own.
 
Ultimately if what you claim is true, and should you (or WHOEVER) choose
to keep this information confidential, it will be the ferrets who will
pay the ultimate price - with their lives.  Yet another example of how
animals will continue to suffer from the sword of humanity's "me"
syndrome......
[Posted in FML issue 4558]