Since it won't hurt we sometimes just have Lupron Depot given to see
if there is a response, but traditionally the TN Panel is used.  We
personally only use that for questionable cases because it is not run
rapidly often, it is expensive, and it can miss early cases.  Surgery
is typically the best approach for adrenal disease.
 
http://www.vet.utk.edu/diagnostic/endocrinology/
and here are values and more:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG17182
See:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/24hr_lupron.htm
(why to not use the 24 Lupron)
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
to start off.
 
Some complications info you hopefully won't need:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG15827
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG5436
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG2049
and there certainly are others there.
 
Vet lists can be found in three of the resources in my sig lines and in
the IFC one open the CA sites in the "contains info from vets" section
to find CA specific ones.
 
Both the FML Archives at
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
and the FHL Archives at
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
are VERY EASY TO USE
 
For the FML one click on "Search the Archives".
That takes you to
http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?S1=ferret-search
Then decide WHAT you want to search on.  You do NOT have to use each
blank box.  Usually I find myself searching by putting a term in the
first box and then restricting the time frame of the search by putting
in some general dates.  I only rarely use the "address contains' box and
even less rarely use the "subject" box.  Example for you to use to get
the feel for it:
 
put
ticks
into the top box
then into dates start with
Jan 2005
and end with
Dec 2005
Click "submit"
 
26 posts come up.  Just click open the ones you want to read.  Okay,
let's try another one.  Let's say that you want to see as many expert
posts that I carried over from the FHL to the FML as possible.  Those
subject lines pretty early began to contain "from FHL" so just use
"from FHL" for the box called "The subject is or contains".  The most
recent 50 will come up, and then you can see others by just clicking on
"More Hits" at the top of the page if you want more or others.
 
For the FHL one just go to the site and you will find easy instructions.
Again, you do not have to use every box.  You can use as few as one,
or can combine two or three.  It is really easy.
let's do Ticks again, and let's concentrate on ones from the address
containing AFERRETVET
There are 14 posts from 2001 into 2005.  Just select the ones you
want to read and click on them.
 
Notice that in each of those searches there were boxes I chose to NOT
use.
 
A list member mentioned the risks of the Hartz treatments for parasites
in relation to ferrets.  Yes, those are among the over the counter
approaches which have been mentioned in the past as killing ferrets.  (In
fact, it is why some marrow transplant info for ferrets appears in the
FHL Archives and I think also the FML archives.)  There are way to handle
parasites which are safe for ferrets and those need to be known.  (BTW,
one heartworm treatment, Proheart, which is currently being reviewed in
relation to dogs because the first review panel had half decide that not
enough info was known whereas the other half decided that the risk rate
was low was the ONLY treatment for ESTABLISHED HEARTWORMS in ferrets
which so far in use ***HAD BEEN TOTALLY SAFE FOR FERRETS***.  Hopefully,
it will not be lost to us ferret people.  See:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/heartworm.htm  )
BTW, synthetic pyrethrins were apparently tested in NZ for killing
off wild mustelids:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG17007
Fleas, ticks, heartworms, mites:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG14337
 
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5223]