From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2001-09-08 21:23:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: Can anyone tell me how
Melatonin works .
Hi Charlene,
Mike hit the nail on the head. Melatonin is the natural
hormone that directly and indirectly starts (in spring)
and stops (in the fall) the ferrets naturally breeding cycle.
This is in response to the photoperiod (amount of daylight).
During the short days (fall/winter) more melatonin is released
which stops the breeding cycle. Plus the ferret gains weight
for the winter and puts on its winter coat.
During the long days (spring/summer) less melatonin is released.
The ferret losses some weight and put on its summer coat.
In adrenal gland disease, the adrenals are acting just like the
testes or ovaries because the adrenal glands have LH receptors.
Melatonin lowers LH, so the adrenal glands are not stimulated to
overproduce the sex hormones. Thus the ferret gains weight, puts on
its winter coat, and the adrenal gland stops overproducing the
sex hormones.
Lupron is a synthetic analog of GnRH which stops LH (and FSH)
from being released. Thus the adrenal glands are not stimulated, so
they stop overproducing the sex hormones. Then the ferret gains some
weight and puts on its winter coat. Even though they both work in a
similar manner Lupron seems to work better and longer.
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM
PS as for "fish antibiotics" it really depends on what antibiotic it
is.
Some are the same, but some are different.