From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-10-12 03:34:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Any answer would help
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Cheryl & Steve" <email@t...> wrote:
> I have submitted the question below two previous times and I was
hoping to
> get an answer. It addresses something I may have read that was
written by
> Dr. Williams about how effective Melatonin is.
> > >
> > > Hi Dr. Williams,
> > > I have a female ferret that is about 5 or 6 years old. We tried
to have
> > both
> > > adrenal glands removed but one was very involved with the vena
cava and
> > all
> > > of it was not removed. About a month after the operation We
noticed that
> > her
> > > vulva was not decreasing in size so we started her on a Lupron
and on
> the
> > > forth depot of 400 mg and 1 mg of Melatonin her vulva has
decreased in
> > size
> > > but she is losing hair along her back. The reason I am writing
this note
> > to
> > > you is because you mentioned that it is only useful for a few
months but
> I
> > > thought it blocked certain harmones all year round. Any help
would be
> > > appreciated.
> > > Cheryl & Steve
Dear Cheryl and Steve:
Let me preface this by saying that there have been no studies in the
use of melatonin in ferrets with adrenal disease, and the conjecture
that it works is largely based on the research done on intact
ferrets. While melatonin appears to decrease luteinizing hormone
levels in a number of species, and possibly in intact ferrets, no
research has been published on its use in neutered ferrets, which
comprises the vasst majority of American pet ferrets. A number of
practitioners that I have discussed the situation with suggest that
they have found that melatonin rapidly decreases in effectiveness
when days become short. This fact, combined with the knowledge that
ferrets normally secrete higher levels of melatonin during times of
short photoperiod, suggests that during the summer time, the
administration of additional melatonin may have a therapeutic benefit
in lowering LH levels, but in the winter, the additional melatonin
has no effect over the higher levels already circulating as a result
of the short photoperiod.
It's a theory based on anecdotal information, as is everything else
we currently know about melatonin. It hink, however, that most vets
agree that although cheap, melatonin is not a good treatment for
adrenal disease, lupron is better, but still flawed, and surgery
remains the most effective of all.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM