Jill,
 
I've used Lupron on three girls.  One girl, Minnie got a shot a year ago
and just got her second shot a month ago ... it lasted pretty long, she
regrew her hair both times.  The first Lupron shot was after she had two
operations and the second one was almost fatel.  My other girl Nala just
had her first shot and she is regrowing her hair ... this is after she
had three operations.  Daisy had a Lupron shot before any operations, we
thought that she had a heart problem.  It worked well for her for about a
year but then her adrenal gland got huge and we were afraid that it might
burst, so we operated.  It really was her only chance, and that's probably
one of the only reason's that I would get an operation for adrenal.  One
vet thought that the Lupron might have caused her adrenal gland to grow,
but another, more experienced vet does not think so.  Daisy past away at
the end of the operation.  Nala's adrenal gland (regrown for the 2nd time)
was the size of a nickel before the Lupron shot.  I have not had a boy on
lupron so I couldn't tell you about the straining.  Buzz will be getting a
shot next week, he's bald but not straining yet.  All the ferrets that have
had shots were a lot more active after the shot and Nala (ornery one) was
less ornery.  It really upsets me that Abu past away.  I got him an
operation a little early because I was going away to train for a new job
and I was worried that he would have a problem peeing and my husband
wouldn't notice.  After Abu past away, Pongo started to loose hair and I
waited and after three months, he actually grew his hair back ... so now I
think that maybe Abu would have grown his hair back.  They say that's a
sign that adrenal is coming in about a year.  I can't explain Abu's
personality but if I had to pick a ferret not to operate on, it would be
him.  Pongo is the same way, along with Quasimodo ... Quasi, luckily
doesn't have sickness's ... knock on wood.
 
Take Care,
 
Joy
 
>From: Jill Galindo <[log in to unmask]>
>I don't know what to do.  My experience with operations on ferrets has
>not been very good.  I've had approximately 10 operations for adrenal,
>including cryosurgery, and in one case - Hera - died 12 days after
>surgery because cancer spread.
 
Hi Joy,
 
I just read your post referenced above.  You are the first person I have
had the opportunity to speak with that feels exactly like I do.  I am so
tired of putting my kids thru these operations with terrible results.
Everytime I have had a surgery my poor little guys/girls don't ever really
get back to normal and most have pasted on in a short amount of time.  I
have decided if the ferret is 3 years or under I will attempt surgery,
if older I will let nature takes its course.  I will treat them with
medications, Bob Churchs Gravy etc.  but no surgery.  I am sorry I can't
offer a solution, I am in exactly in the same position as you are, on what
to do.  But I much rather have my elder guys at home in one piece (no
zipper from top to bottom) and just plodding along, then having them home
cut from top to bottom and never regrouping.  I think, and so does my vet,
that Dr. Williams is right the best thing to do is remove the problem,
because it will not reverse itself and the drugs we have available will
not reverse the problem either.  But I also think that the quality of time
left towards the end is very important and I don't feel with surgery that
the time left has any quality.  The time that is left is wasted on
recovery, trying to get them to eat again, cleaning their little bottoms
etc.  instead of spoiling them, building rice boxes, taking them outdoors
and doing fun things for them because they will not be with us much longer.
If it were me I rather do the fun things toward the end like going on a
cruise to Alaska that I always wanted to take instead of laying in hospital
trying to recover and I may never recover, but at least I went on that last
cruise.  So thats what I have decided to do with my kids.  How much time
are you really going gain on their lives?  A month, maybe six months.  Out
of the 1 - 6 months 2 -3 months would be recovery of some sort, so that
leaves you with only a couple of months of potential quality time.  So
those are my thoughts, sorry for the broken language but I am at work and
continue to be interrupted.
 
I spoke with my vet this morning, he just ordered some Lupron for my boy
Sam, Sam is probably between 6-7 he is a rescue from Ferret Aid Society.
What is your opinion on Lupron?  He is starting to strain when he urinates,
I sure hope it will help.  I am not real concerned with hair regrowth as
I am with Sam getting blocked.  I would just like your thoughts on it.
Anyway while speaking with my vet I asked his thoughts on surgery and he
also feels Sam is to old to have surgery, but the conversation went on
about surgeries and he stated that insulinoma surgeries are the tough ones
it seems to him that it always comes back regardless.  It could be 3
months to 6 months.  That is just his observation on insulinoma, he also
seemed to feel he has had good results with adrenal not recurring.
 
Got to get back to work, those are my thoughts. Good luck!
 
Jill Owned By
Sam, Buck & Goosepotato
[Posted in FML issue 3422]