Adrenal disease is usually NOT a malignancy, but does need treatment for both quality and quantity of life. Fur loss on just tail is often just a dermal condition but sometimes is adrenal disease. Oral melatonin is the least effective thing to give. If you want to go the med route then with the ones available in the U.S. using the Lupron DEPOT and the melatonin implant together is the way to go for adrenal disease for most. In those nations where the right deslorelin implant is available that can be a better choice than Lupron depot and also can be used along with the melatonin implant available from Melatek. We usually -- but not always -- opt for surgery. Ferrets vary according to what form of adrenal disease they have and how well it is treated, with many living out completely normal lifespans. See resources like these Golden Oldies on what is and is not a malignancy, and why to treat adrenal growths: <http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/SCRIPTS/WA-FERRET.EXE?A2=ind0507&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R4104> and <http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/SCRIPTS/WA-FERRET.EXE?A2=ind0507&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R4177> and <http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/SCRIPTS/WA-FERRET.EXE?A2=ind0507&L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R4248> and multiple VET (It pays to concentrate on the ones by veterinarians.) resources in: http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.miamiferret.org/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ 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/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html all ferret topics: http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html [Posted in FML 6416]
