Cathy, there is a bit of split opinion on how to give Lupron and here is
the sort of info that is behind that reasoning:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG16513
 
I can not recall any FHL vets mentioning stopping it when a serious
adrenal growth is present.
 
If the problem was just hyperplasia and it was caught very early then
*perhaps* there is a chance that all is fine now, but otherwise, given
what I have read (and taking into account that I am not a vet) I also
would worry that removing the Lupron might allow the growth to take off
again.
 
Then again, without hard data on how rapidly it might lose effectiveness
in ferrets I think if this were one of ours -- especially if the tumor
was a serious one -- I'd go with what approaches have the most ferret
research behind them.  You can find those by going to the FHL Archives
(addy in my signature line) and reading applicable posts from AFERRETVET.
(I have to keep to a single post today and keep it short since I used
two earlier today after midnight before the FML came out; a useful trick
sometimes as long as a person remembers the restriction applicable to
the next FML.)
 
If you could do me a favor could you ask what studies led that vet to
this approach and let me know?  I am curious is there is some newer data
for ferrets that i missed.  If so, then I would like to learn from it.
 
For those who asked, Hubble decided that he did not want to try anything
that took chewing again after that one crunchy he tested on his own, so
he is definitely on soft food every few hours.  The cuts from his injury
are healing remarkably well though he acted bruised without bruises
showing, and the connection between the two sides of the mandible is
firm, but his jaw did clack at one point when eating soft food so he may
have given himself a bit of soft tissue injury at the TMJ and need to
adjust to that; I'll let the vet know about that observation today.
Later note: Steve tried something a little more firm and Hubble ate it
fine.  The clack was his tongue on his palate rather than his jaw now
that we could listen better for it and he turns out to be getting some
bruising behind his upper canines so he is licking there.
 
I don't think that I was clear when I wrote:
>Because the cystine stone study at U.C.  Davis is also looking several
>aspects of ferret genetics that may help to find out if genetics plays
>a role in endocrinological illnesses in ferrets.
 
The genetics involved is different, but I was told by a third party that
they expect to expand the original genetics part which was originally
looking as possible causes of cystine stones (and I expect this also is).
Since after that they got in touch with some people who had reported not
encountering endocrinological diseases in ferrets (Ex. Tony O'Sullivan
who mentioned that right here on the FML) I hope that is an indication
that the third party was correct.)  I am extremely excited by the idea
of someone looking into such aspects; if we were not forced to tightly
budget the last several years I'd send money to them through Dr. Michelle
Hawkins.  I really hope they still are delving into the neural crest
variation aspect well to know which ones are seen in ferrets; that is
important.
 
Tony, thanks for reminding people of the benefit of knowledge learned
over time since the 50s; your point is an excellent one for anyone to
remember:
>this practice is still done today but a little more scientifically
>in places where there are still mink farmed
 
Hopefully, such knowledge is being used in whatever diet is used (Mutual
respect, please, folks.), and hopefully when some of the diet variations
have more years of use behind them there will also be actual hard data,
esp that which is more applicable for older ferrets or long use, with
other variables adjusted for, so that the effects of known good things
over a lifetime like increased exercise, more room, less light pollution,
more darkness, genetics, etc.  can be tweezed out better from the final
picture.  Such variables are integral in the artistic application of
ferret adoration, but when science in involved it is important to
separate out their effects to know just what is really being seen.  BTW,
there is always a middle ground with known good homemade ferret foods
with a longer track record such as Bob's Gravy.  The only things in that
which I have ever read vets questioning about that are the larger pieces
of bones and eggs shells, but a good sieving eliminates the larger pieces
which caused that stated consideration.
 
When I was a kid the farm carnivores of extended family and friends
almost always had very short lives, with a few individual exceptions,
so I am very glad for the veterinary knowledge that was so hard earned in
the last half century.  (For ferrets most of it was in the last 15 to 20
years.) I do know that when my aunt and uncle left their farm, the dog
after it lived 3 times as long as the dog on it, but the second dog also
was a mutt and smaller, both factors which can make for longer lives, and
there would have been variables beyond diet.  I recall people thinking
that 5 years was an extremely long life for a farm cat back then, and to
a kid that does seem a long time, but it is not a long life for a cat by
any means, nor for a ferret.  (BTW, also always remember that when
genetics is right the diet doesn't matter as much which may be why I
knew some 10 to 14 year old ferrets on really cheap cat foods (kibbles)
a quarter of a century ago.)
[Posted in FML issue 5209]