From:
cpallen626@yahoo.com
Date: 2001-10-01 03:43:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Devil's claw and pancreatic cancer in ferrets
Thank you. I am working with a vet who practices both western and
holistic medecine. We are already on a monthly schedule for blood
test to check Reno's glucose level. He is currently on prednisone and
doing extremely well on it but, if we can, I would like to try to
manage his health with an holistic approach. We will also perform an
ultra-sound to check for potential tumors. I will keep everyone
posted on how it is working.
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., sukiecrandall@t... wrote:
> If I recall right it was more that it was used to stablize symptoms
> in some ferrets with insulinoma, rather than the problem being a
> malignancy or the herbal prep a cure. Have never tried it myself,
> but have read of people who had ferrets that had some blood
> sugar improvement as per blood test numbers (for one that I
> have heard about), while others tried it with no effect at all.
Why?
> No idea. Do know that whether it works or doesn't work it will be
> very necessary during a trial to have the vet run a good number of
> blood tests because EITHER having the sugar get too high (if
> overmedicated after it is effective) or too low (if it doesn't work
> and ferret is undermedicated) could be dangerous.
>
> I am not a vet and would personally like to see such a trial done
> in a reasonable manner (enough blood tests by a vet with good
> equipment to know actual effects) on enough ferrets to see if any
> firm handle can be gotten on this application, esp. since
> someone did tell me in the past of test numbers improving while
> another who I trust strongly saw no change at all in actual blood
> glucose numbers when it was tried.
>
> Would also like to see the herb tested to see if there may be side
> effects which are important to understand. The general rule of
> thumb is that anything strong enough to help is also strong
> enough to harm if used improperly or if side effects are not
> understood and responded to in a responsible fashion (which is
> one reason why balanced references such as those by Varro
> Tyler or the PDR for Herbal Medications, or...
>
> So, it may help sometimes and it may not help other times, and
> all that is true for sure is that we all need to know a good bit
> more, and if you try it you WILL need to set up a strict blood test
> schedule with your vet to be safe and fair to the ferret.
>
> --- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., cpallen626@y... wrote:
> >
> > I have heard that Devil's claw was successfully used in several
> > ferrets to "cure" pancreatic cancer. has anyone heard about
> this?
> > What dosage should be administered? Thanks!