From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-04-11 20:33:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Tennessee Panel
>Could someone provide contact info for the Tennessee Panel regarding
>details of sample submission (address, requirements, cost, etc).
>Thank you very much.
We had to ask the same thing for Jumpstart's sake, and the replies to
the FHL follow. In Jumpstart's case even though he was in normal
ranges on all the measurements in a about a month following the
testing he had a definite but small adrenal tumor that was removed
with fine results.
In other FHL past issues you will find further information on why the
TN Panel is much more reliable than some more simple options.
From past FHL issues:
> Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 09:40:52 -0500 (EST)
> From: Pam Sessoms <pjdutche@e...>
>Subject: UTK Adrenal panel (Re: Re: Lysodren vs. Lupron, and two
>questions of my own)
>
>Sukie wrote:
>> ***** Any one here have the direct TN Panel sending info?*****
>
>The submission addy in the Adrenal FAQ at Ferret Central is still correct
>but there have been minor changes in some other things... The new spot on
>the UTK web site for this is:
>
>http://www.vet.utk.edu/services/diagnostic/endoser.html#Adrenal-Function
>
>They have a printable submission form a bit lower down on the same page.
>And if I can pull out the specific instructions they are:
>
>"Adrenal Panel for Ferrets. Collect baseline serum sample (0.5 ml).
>Centrifuge samples as soon as possible, separate and freeze. Ship frozen
>samples as for the Adrenal Panel for Dogs method above (3H). The following
>hormones will be assayed: Estradiol, Androstenedione and
>17-hydroxyprogesterone. The assay is run twice each month (first and third
>week)."
>
>So they're asking for a slightly larger sample (0.5 ml rather than 0.3)
>and wanting it frozen now (although maybe that was implied before, I
>dunno). In any case, the probably can run it either way and the
>submission addy and run-dates are the same. Dr. Oliver's e-mail is the
>same, but they do list a different endo lab telephone number on their
>website than is in the FAQ: 865-974-5638 (phone). They ask that vets
>call before submitting a sample for the first time...
>
>Cheers,
>
>-Pam S.
---
> Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 01:47:14 -0500
> From: steve austin <kazpat1@j...>
>Subject: Re: Tennessee panel info
>
>Since there is a few questions on the TN Panel I copied the info from
>FerretCentral, if it is allowed. If not can edit that and just provide
>the link, it is in the FAQ section.
>
>Ferret Central is an excellent source of info., with many great links.
>www.ferretcentral.org
>Please see the comment at the end by Dr. Williams, this is only needed in
>those questionable cases, and I think it is important that the vet knows
>that this test is recommended over the one they would run for a dog
>suspected of Cushings disease- I am just pointing that out because it
>came up before, and I brought this info to my vet, who was not aware of
>the test.
>Blood tests for adrenal disease
>The only reliable blood test for detecting adrenal disease is available
>to private practitioners from the Endocrinology lab at the University of
>Tennessee. The adrenal endocrine panel is run by Betsy Bailey
><bailey.betsy@h...> and interpreted by Dr. Jack Oliver
><joliver@u...>. They welcome questions about the panel or
>interpretation of the results. Patient histories are requested, and
>sample submission and sharing of histopathological findings of involved
>adrenals is desired. Contact them by email or at 423-974-5638 (for the
>lab) or 423-974-5729 (Dr. Oliver). Their address is
>University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine
>Clinical Endocrinology Lab
>Dept. of Comparative Medicine
>2407 River Drive, Rm. A105 VTH
>Knoxville, TN 37996
>The test requires 0.3 cc of serum, spun down and placed in a clean tube.
>No gel should be used, as it is unstable during shipment.
>Betsy Bailey writes in early 1998:
> Ferret Adrenal Panel Normal Values
>
> steroid SI units mean +/- SD Upper Normal Cutoff
> value
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Cortisol nmol/L 53+/- 42 140
> 17 OH Progest nmol/L 0.2+/- 0.3 0.8
> Estradiol pmol/L 107+/- 38 180
> Androstenadione nmol/L 6.6+/- 4.1 15
> DHEAS nmol/L 10 +/- 9 28
>
>The data in this table are from 26 normal ferrets, which Karen Rosenthal
>sent to our lab for analysis. (See the related report by Rosenthal and
>Peterson in JAVMA 209:1097-1102, 1996.)
>The most important tests seem to be: estradiol, androstenadione, 17
>hydroxy Progesterone and DHEAS. The cortisols are run if there is
>sufficient sample volume remaining.
>Due to increased demand, the panel is run twice each month, the first and
>third weeks. Completion of the panel requires one full week: three days
>(starting on Tuesday) to run the assay, plus one day to compile the
>results, check them for accuracy, and provide interpretation. Results are
>faxed on Friday or the following Monday, and are also mailed out.
>We recently assayed (Dec 1997-Jan 1998) an additional 14 normal ferrets
>which provided data that closely correlate with the data from Dr.
>Rosenthal. Additional studies are planned in 1998 to further refine the
>expected normal adrenal steroid hormone values in ferrets.
>We receive samples from ferrets ranging in age from 6 months to 8 years.
>So it is apparent that the disease can appear at any time in a ferret's
>life. Hormonal patterns vary so the best results are obtained by running
>the complete panel.
>We will be compiling a journal article sometime in 1998 regarding
>retrospective results of ferret panels which were submitted in 1997. We
>hope to include correlation of assay results with histopathological
>findings where possible. This will entail us contacting the individual
>vets who sent us samples and asking for information from them.
>According to Dr. Bruce Williams, DVM, on 3 Feb 1995:
>Let me reiterate, that this test is mostly of use for ferrets in which
>the signs of adrenal disease are questionable. I would still recommend
>surgery alone for cases of marked bilateral hair loss, or the presence of
>an enlarged vulva in spayed ferrets. I don' think the test adds any extra
>information to your diagnosis over these fairly obvious clinical signs.