From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2003-12-04 05:11:39 UTC
Subject: Re: I think adrenal is coming back
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <135.28b6db98.2d001c0b@cs.com>
Hi Linda,
I'll try to answer some of your questions and try
to clear up some of the inaccurate statements over
the past few days about Lupron. Lupron is way more
than merely "masking the signs." It may be a cure!
I have been using Lupron for almost 6 years now.
Roughly 80% of the adrenal ferrets respond real well
to Lupron depot at a low dose of 100mcg/kg monthly.
Another 10% respond well to a higher dose 200-500
mcg/kg monthly. The other 10% have a mild to no
response to even high doses of Lupron. Most of these
"non responders" have been carcinomas. Some have
spread to the liver and some have also had lymphoma
too. However just because a ferret does not respond
to Lupron does not mean it is a carcinoma. Just more
likely to be a carcinoma that needs surgery before
the gland gets any bigger.
When Lupron is used 3 different things can happen
to the adrenal gland. 1) It can become smaller! (ie
if it is hyperplasia or adenoma, Lupron may cure it!)
2) It can remain the same size and NOT get bigger!
This is also good news. As long as the tumor is not "big"
and does not get bigger, and it is no longer overproducing
the sex hormones then it is no longer a problem.
Lupron is not a chemotherapy drug, so it will not
destroy the adrenal gland. But as long as the gland is
not big and is not getting bigger, it is not a problem.
3) Only a small percentage of the time will the
gland actually get bigger. This is bad news. Fortunately
only a very small percent of adrenal tumors become those
large "fist size or bigger" tumors. This can happen whether
they are on Lupron or are not receiving any treatment. These
large tumors are going to be carcinomas. They need surgery
before they get big!. Remeber ~90% respond to Lupron.
Unfortunately there is no way to predicate which one of those
3 outcomes will happen (ie we can not predict the future).
Now as for surgery, the right side is generally harder to do
because of its location. It is under a lobe of the liver, and next
to or attached to the vena cava (ie the biggest vein), so if your
local vet does not like to do these, then it is probably best to
go to someone with more experience with this surgery.
In Quebec there is a vet school at the University de Montreal.
Perhaps they can do the surgery of refer you to a "ferret vet"
in Montreal or Quebec. There is a vet at the Univeristy de
Montreal (Manon Paradis). She is the dermatologist, but
she is also very ferret savy. She may also be able to refer
you to a ferret vet near you. Another vet school is located at
the University of Guelph (Guelph, Ontario). They may be
able to do the surgery or refer you to a ferret vet for the surgery.
If you are still afraid of surgery, then try Lupron and monitor
the size of the adrenal gland frequently (ie with each monthly
injection). Good Luck with Cookie,
Jerry Murray, DVM
Dallas, Texas