Hi there.  I've been meaning to add a word to the short thread recommending
ovaban's use to treat symptoms of adrenal disease.  A while back I asked
Cathy Johnson-Delaney, DVM, about this.  She published an adrenal article
in the current Ferrets magazine, and has been instrumental in designing a
ferret adrenal research project (nationwide; just getting off ground).
Anyway, her opinion was absolutely not to use Ovaban with ferrets.  That it
had been overused with cats in the '80s, and had serious side effects.  I'm
out of town right now and away from all notes re: some longterm damage that
resulted, but based on her info I elected not to try it.  Something you
might check into further before launching too wholeheartedly into its use.
Cathy does highly recommend Lupron (see the article for the story of its
use with her own ferret), and I've had great success with two of my ferrets
currently on Lupron (full hair regrowth, good urinary tract function).
Only a symptomatic rating of success at this point.  Took baseline
estradiols but symptoms are so good haven't done follow-ups.  May have
ultrasounds done a bit down the line.
 
I'm in Portland, Oregon right now, and my wonderful, old dad Lee A. - an
incredible guy - is having surgery tomorrow (scheduled at 3pm; a go if
potassium levels are okay).  He's 80 and has lost nearly all his muscle
mass this year, is nearly just a skeleton.  Radiation following successful
colon surgery may have done his colon in, so it's getting amended.  Anyway,
he's pretty weak, but in good spirits.  He needs a couple heart valves
replaced more time (and recovery) down the line (gulp), but wants to get
better to continue his tailless column kite research (he get up to five or
six of his handmade kites up at a time) on the Oregon Coast - hey his mom
lived to be 104!
 
Any surgery in his condition is really serious, so I'd sure appreciate
prayers or good thoughts sent his way.
 
I haven't posted in awhile; just been really busy, but keep close to the
FML.  I'm still running the Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List, so drop
a line if you would like info on it.  Write me at <[log in to unmask]>.
 
Thanks my fellow ferreteers,
Lynn and the Sweet Six Furslinks
[Posted in FML issue 2642]