From:
"Lisa Daley"
Date: 2008-10-16 17:25:14 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re:Melatonin/Lupron
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I am extremely confused!!! I was just looking through the archives
for my lupron dose question and came upon this post from Dr. Murray
in August. It basically says the exact opposite of everything I've
been reading. It also contradicts Dr.Johnson-Deleany's post that
impants do not work. I want to make an informed decision on the best
way to treat my ferrets but I'm not sure what to believe.
Can anyone tell me if there are any recently
published papers or studies on the effectiveness of the melatonin
implants, and the yearly Lupron shots?
Thanks!!!
Lisa
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, AFERRETVET@... wrote:
>
> Hi Lisa,
> You have some good questions about the best way to
> medically treat adrenal gland disease. There have been
> several melatonin studies on adrenal ferrets, including an
> implant study that was just completed at Colorado Sate University.
> Plus there was an oral melatonin study that was done at the
> University of Wisconsin. Plus there was a melatonin implant
> study by Dr James Johnson (from Texas A&M) and I.
> Plus there was a melatonin implant study done by Dr Cathy
> Johnson-Delaney in Seattle, Washington. Thus there is a lot
> of info about melatonin, so I can answer most of your questions.
> No, melatonin is not "only cosmetic." The oral melatonin study and
> all 3 melatonin implant studies have shown that melatonin lowers
> the adrenal hormones. In Dr Johnson-Delaney's paper she wrote,
> "The melatonin implant appeared to be similarly effective as
monthly
> administration of Lupron." The melatonin ferret actually had
slightly lower
> hormone levels than the Lupron ferret. In the recently completed
> melatonin implant study at Colorado State University, there was a
> decrease in all 9 ferrets hormone levels, clinical resolution in
all 9
> ferrets, and the owners gave a very high quality of life score.
Plus there
> were no changes in the blood glucose level, and none of the 9
ferrets
> became resistant to the melatonin implants. The oral melatonin
study
> also proved that melatonin can shrink an enlarged prostate. As you
can
> see that is much more than just a cosmetic effect.
> Melatonin also lowers prolactin levels which may help prevent the
> adrenal gland from becoming bigger. There are melatonin receptors
> on adrenal glands that may also help prevent an adrenal gland from
> becoming large. Melatonin also stimulates the bone marrow to make
> red blood cells which should treat or prevent the anemia that is
common
> with adrenal gland disease. Thus it helps with all 3 serious
complications
> of adrenal gland disease (prostatic enlargement, estrogen induced
anemia,
> and adrenal gland enlargement).
> In addition melatonin is a powerful antioxidant, free radical
scavenger,
> and an appetite stimulant. Again a lot more than just cosmetic
effects!
> With that said, Lupron is a very good medication too. Thus I would
> recommend using BOTH melatonin and Lupron to get the best results
> and to decrease the odds of the adrenal gland enlarging.
>
> As for preventing adrenal gland disease, there has not been any
> published study yet. Thus all we have is anecdotal suggestions.
> You can certainly start a young kit on Lupron and use it monthly
> throughout the kits life to prevent adrenal gland disease. However
> I do not believe one injection of the monthly Lupron once a year
(in
> the spring) will actually prevent adrenal gland disease. If you
want
> to try that option, then I would suggest using the 4 month version
> of Lupron instead of the monthly version. When the Suprelorin
> (Deslorelin) implants become available in the US, then using them
> once a year in the spring will be the way to go. The Suprelorin
> implants last for a year or more.
> The lifespan for an adrenal ferret depends on a lot of things.
> My own ferret made it to 8.5 years old. He became adrenal at
> 3.5 years of age. However some ferrets develop prostate problems,
> or estrogen induced anemia, or have large adrenal carcinomas and
> do not live as long. Other ferrets will develop insulinoma,
lymphoma,
> heart disease, etc., in addition to the adrenal disease and will
not live
> as long. However with treatment a ferret with just adrenal disease
should
> have a normal life span of 6-7 years of age.
> Hope that helps,
> Jerry Murray, DVM
[Mod Note: remember that there may be a latitude/light effect which
has been postulated. Too much light exposure reduces the body's
own natural melatonin, and reduced circulating melatonin levels is a
trigger for increased production of the culprit, LH (and also of more FSH).
If that holds when thorough enough testing is done then prevention
may be easier at latitudes further from the Equator.]
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