From Mon, 16 Apr 2001; digest 131: From this week's Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association: Leuprolide acetate treatment of adrenocortical disease in ferrets Effects of leuprolide acetate, a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases were evaluated. Ferrets were treated with leuprolide (100 Ug, IM, once) and plasma hormone concentrations were measured before and 3 to 6 weeks after treatment. Leuprolide treatment resulted in significant reduction in plasma estradiol, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations and elminated or reduced clinical signs associated with adrenocortical disease. Decreases in vulvar swelling, pruuritus, and undesirable sexual behavior and aggression were evident 14 dys after treatment; hair regrowth was evident by 4 weeks after treatment. The response to treatment was transitory, however, and clinical signs recurred in all ferrets. Mean+/- SEM time to recurrence was 3.7 +/- 0.4 months (range 1.5 to 8 months.) Results suggest that leuprolide can be safely used to temporarily elminate clinical signs and reduce sex hormone concentrations in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases. However, the safety of long-term leurpolide use in ferrets has not been investigated, and the long-term effects of leuprolide in ferrets with nodular adrenal gland hyperplasia or adrenal gland tumors are unknown - R.A Wagner et al. (JAVMA 2001: 218:1272-1274.) Please note that this article states that Lupron use in ferrets should be restricted to temporary use, and that recurrence of clinical signs occurred in all ferrets. This is consistent with my feelings on the restriction of this drug to non-surgical candidates. Surgery is still the optimal way to treat adrenal disease in ferrets. Bruce Williams, DVM http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list [Posted in FML issue 3398]