Melatonin's effect isn't just cosmetic BUT it does not have anywhere near as strong an effect on the tumors themselves as drugs such as Lupron or deslorelin (and possibly related drugs like Trelstar. Besides having some hormonal interactions melatonin as a treatment has a purely dermal effect that means that it can work better on things like fur regrowth. See fur industry studies; at least one of which is in the separate Archives. In studies of melatonin it appears that usually the effect of oral melatonin is helpful for less time than the implant. The body's own melatonin which is produced in response to darkness appears to have the least chance of become ineffective over time, but it may not be present in the levels needed to help most. Better than either-or: 1. Surgery when possible is still the best approach. 2. If surgery is not possible then depending on where a person lives the best is to use Melatonin implant *****AND***** either deslorelin or Lupron DEPOT. It can not be the 24 hour version of the med. There is info in the FML Archives, the FHL Archives, and Miamiferret on why that is so. Deslorelin has not yet been approved except for study in the U.S. but studies by people like Dr. Bob Wagner of U. Pitt echo those of others like Dr. Nico Schoemaker of U. Utrecht showing that deslorelin works well, costs less, and lasts longer. Hopefully, approval for the use will happen soon in the U.S. because I think it must be about 3 years since it was first applied for. Prevention: melatonin, deslorelin, and Lupron have been and in at least two of those cases currently are being studied as preventatives. How to use them effectively may vary according to latitude and other sources of added light exposure; i.e. drugs like Lupron may not work as well in places that get more light than her extreme NW U.S. location as Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney continues her work in other locations (ongoing) per her statements. Vaccine: I mentioned this briefly but didn't say any details since it had not been announced, but it is spoken of in Dr. Bruce William's excellent and recommended article in the current Ferrets magazine. A team including Doctors Bob Wagner and Mark Finkler (also a vet prof -- I think a joint vet school of Virginia and Maryland it my memory serves --as well as clinician, and past head of an exotics veterinary journal -- but forgive me for exact details skipping out on me right now since i still have a lot on my plate and tension is still high between bereavement and healing) is looking at a possible vaccine. The vaccine would use a different approach and act directly on GnRH, Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone. The hope is for an effective and long term response that won't have the risks of being effected by husbandry practices like too much light exposure, nor have the possible risk of becoming less effective over time (which happens with humans with the class of drugs mentioned earlier that includes luprolide, deslorelin, and triptorelin and is part of a large and long term study in Europe under Dr. Nico Schoemaker). Another husbandry practice which has possibly affected the rate of both adrenal disease and insulinoma is breeding without regard to health, longevity and behavior. When appearance is put first all sorts of problems can arise. When Steve and I first began having ferrets-- which I guess is approaching something like 27 years now -- both adrenal disease and insulinoma were more rare and so were the symptoms. That isn't just personal observation since I have also heard it from such ferret health researchers as Dr. Karen Rosenthal. What Steve and i first noticed was that first the rate of adrenal disease in older ferrets increased and then later young ones with adrenal disease began showing up. During that time at least two things which could have effects happened: there were more and more fancies being bred for their appearances, and those ubiquitous green equipment lights began appearing on so very many things. After blue, green is the most disruptive light wavelength range for the body's own melatonin production. (Amber is the least disruptive so SHOULD be the color used on equipment lights that are on at night if those lights even have to be on.) There are already two known genetic proclivities in U.S. ferrets which have the potential to increase vulnerability to both adrenal disease and insulinoma (as well as possibly some other things). The first is MEN (Multiple Endocrinological Neoplasia) which is a genetic alternation that can do exactly what it should like: make it easier for new growths to begin and take hold in endocrinological tissues. The second is an alteration of p53 which normally fights new growths, esp. when they are in their very early stages and can be defeated. The alteration lowers the body's ability to fight those invasive cells in the species studied most thoroughly. People will ask about diet. Diet might affect rates of insulinoma or might work in conjunction with the altered genetics or other altered husbandry practices or both to affect rates of insulinoma. It is under study and needs to be considered a hypothesis at this stage, but unless a ferret has a good reason to not use a high protein and low starch- low or no sugar diet (as opposed to low carbohydrate because some fiber sources are carbohydrates) then it is worth trying. Conditions which make a high protein diet better avoided include a tendency to get cystine uroliths (a type of urinary tract stone where any of 4 of the amino acids pose a problem), or chronic kidney disease (but not acute) unless the phosphorus levels can be otherwise reduced. There is not evidence at this time that diet affects rates of adrenal disease, though if a link to Luteinizing Hormone rates can be found that could possibly change. Unfortunately, we have been having some ISP browser server problems for a few weeks now and it is down now. A Google search on "Luteinizing Hormone" +diet shows some studies on fats and on some protein sources so I want to delve more deeply to see what they actually say when I have access. 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/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 5879]