From:
"havok10@snet.net"
Date: 2010-05-08 03:13:41 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Ferret with advanced adrenal diesease
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi I have an 8yr old Ferret, Milo who was diagnosed with adrenal disease March 2009. He also has a swollen lymph node that was biopsied at the time and came back suspicious but inconclusive. He has been on Lupron 125mcg injections monthly and prednisone 1mg 2X per day. I choose not to do surgery due to his combination of medical problems and the vet saying the prognosis wasn't the best. Well he is very resilient because its 15 months later!
The past three months the adrenal disease has been getting worse. The lupron was very effective initially. But recently he is losing weight, hair, has hind leg weakness and is itchy (which the poor little guy cant even scratch because when he tries he falls over) . We upped the Lupron to 250mcg the last three months and gave a melatonin implant two weeks ago. Nothing seems to be helping that much as he is still losing weight and seems uncomfortable.
I just notice a red rash on his belly below is penis. Since his hind legs are weak he often falls into his own urine/feces and I clean him up when I get home from work. I do not know if it is red from that or if he is having prostate problems (I am going to bring him to the vet first thing in the morning.)
My basic questions are... what treatments are left?? I am watching him run around like crazy and he is eating a lot so he has the fight in him. The vet I go to is an exotic vet (they don't use melatonin because they don't think it works but they did it for me) They also say 250mcg Lupron is the max that they usually use per month. Are some of the other drugs talked about on here worth trying? Can the Lupron be increased further? Will it even help?? Would surgery do anything at this point? (He is 8 years old and now only 850grams)
Would love some further insight. Thanks in advance.
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