From:
"Tressie"
Date: 2008-05-28 11:12:17 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: That old question again - adrenal disease, surgery vs Lupron?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Cannoli had an ultrasound on Monday by a radiologist veterinarian
specialist who travels into our area regularly. I was able to watch
the whole procedure. A cyst on his right kidney was identified and 3
swollen lymph nodes but nothing remarkable about his adrenals. He
took a needle aspirate urine sample from the bladder after 3 attempts
with 3 different sized needles before he was able to pierce the
bladder wall. I was glad Cannoli was heavily sedated!
I am assuming the renal cyst is innocuous?
At present he is on antibiotics Amoxicillin 0.6 ml every 12 hours
until the rest of the culture report comes back. Cytology report
confirmed blood in urine as had the emergency clinic on Saturday.
In terms of further assessment for adrenal disease because the
ultrasound was inconclusive - we are waiting for the 1 month Lupron
Depot effects to wear off and then will be doing the Tennessee panel.
My vet's approach is far more conservative and he prefers to wait
until the adrenals enlarge (confirmation via another ultrasound). I
don't want to wait for the adrenals to enlarge. This doesn't make a
whole lot of sense to me. My vet wants absolute confirmation via some
test before proceeding with surgery. Note Cannoli has been aggressive
towards the sprites - an aberrant behaviour for him and he is quickly
losing patches of hair on his tail. I would seek a second opinion
but there are no other ferret knowledgeable vets in this area - he is
it!
As well I am not prepared to have regular ultrasounds done to monitor
the adrenals. Never mind the incredible expense entailed but from my
understanding ultrasound is only accurate 50% of the time in
identifying adrenal problems. My vet's argument is that it depends on
the skill and level of training of the technician.
I have been warned that the Tennessee panel is not always accurate
with early adrenal disease but as far as I can determine it is the
best indicator we have.
My ferret room does not have a lamp or overhead light in it - the
window is heavily curtained and their sleeping quarters are always
completely covered over. If I need to go in there during the night I
turn on the hall light, which gives some ambient illumination into
their room.
I will be speaking to my compounding pharmacist to see if she can
make up a Deslorelin Depot. Deslorelin is available here but my vet
is not certain whether its the kind that is suitable for ferrets.
Thank you Sukie for your marvellous level of knowledge and for
sharing that with us. And thank you everyone else for your input and
advice.
Tressie
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, Sukie Crandall <sukie@...> wrote:
>
> Make the choice depending on the ferret and what has worked best
> for the vet.
...
> When deslorelin depots of the right types are finally allowed
> here in the U.S. those might outshine Lupron (and certainly the ones
> elsewhere last longer and are cheaper) both for treatment and for
> possible prevention.
...
> Be sure, too, to provide enough access to total darkness for
ferrets.
>> Sukie (not a vet)
>
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