Message Number: SG5282 | New FHL Archives Search
From: mjanke@miamiferret.org
Date: 2003-07-10 21:34:10 UTC
Subject: 1-month vs. 4-month Lupron
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5453951.1057872850022.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>

I think it's important when we talk about what has worked and what hasn't, that we metion the actual dosage that was given, not just the type.

For instance, I currently use the 1 mg (1000 mcg) dose of 4-month Lupron. That works out, through time release, to be 250 mcg per month. I don't know how accurate the time release actually is, but I assume it's fairly accurate. For the 1-month Lupron, my vet uses 150 mcg dosages, which is 100 mcg less per month than the 4-month Lupron.

So a ferret that gets the 1-month Lupron at my vet's clinic may not see results (been there!) whereas the extra 100 mcg that's in a month's worth of 4-month Lupron could make all the difference in the world.

As far as I know, the Lupron that's in the 1-month and the 4-month is the exact same drug. The only difference is in the time release factor and how much needs to be given to obtain the same results. I'm no vet, doctor or pharmacist, but assuming the proper amount is given, it seems unlikely to me that there would be any different results between 1-month and 4-month Lupron.

Trust me, even vets can be confused by the amount that needs to be given. My own vet, who I consider to be very ferret knowlegeable, but never dealt with 4-month Lupron until I pushed for it, was briefly confused and thought that my ferret could be given the same 150 mcg dose of 4-month Lupron and achieve the same results as giving the 1-month dose of 150 mcg per month for 4 months. If only 150 mcg of the 4-month been used, the ferret would actually only be receiving 37.5 mcg per month.

I hope that made some sense. :-)

mike