From:
Russell Prater
Date: 2001-11-24 19:16:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Questions on Melatonin usage
farrell_cynthia@h... wrote:
>
> I've been scouring the archives trying to get info about using
> Melatonin on an adrenal ferret, but I think I'm just getting
> confused. I'm hoping it'll get straightened out in my mind if I ask
> my questions in one place.
If you go to the FHL in Yahoo groups and search for melatonin you will
find a ton of messages about it. Here's one I grabbed by Dr. Bruce
Williams.
----------------------------------
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
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--
Russ, Booger, Bonnie & Clyde
russellprater@w...
URA Redneck if you trim your beard and find a french fry.