Hi-
This is NOT a clinical study or trial, just my personal experience in the
Northeast US.

I have treated thousands of ferrets over the years for adrenal disease.
Some of them with surgery alone, some surgery plus lupron, some lupron alone.

In my experience, I have come to be a fan of lupron alone -- although
surgery plus lupron for a younger ferret is also a good option. However, I no
longer recommend surgery as my primary form of therapy on ferrets age 4 and up,
unless I have reason to believe that the disease is advanced, there is
secondary reason for surgery (insulinoma), or they are not responding
appropriately
to lupron.

I have even concurrently treated ferrets with 3 month and 1 month lupron --
which seems to work best of all in my hands.

I no longer take my personal ferrets to surgery for adrenal disease. I
currently have 10 ferrets receiving lupron. All are older than 8 years old.
Some have been receiving lupron for over 5 years. None have become refractory
to it. I give it every 30 days on the dot. For the more advanced cases I
give both the one and 3 month forms simultaneously. I control the photoperiod
and give melatonin to those that are more advanced.

The bottom line is, we DON'T KNOW the best way to treat adrenal disease.
Right now, the best way to treat YOUR ferret is the way YOU are most
comfortable with after speaking to your vet, doing your research, and seeing
what YOUR
ferret responds to the best. Do I offer surgery to my clients? You bet. Do
we discuss all of the options? Always. Some still opt for surgery, others
for lupron, others for both. We simply don't yet know enough to say what is
"best". There isn't anything wrong with starting with lupron, monitoring
signs and bloodwork and adding in other drugs as they are indicated -- and
finally going to surgery if needed. There also isn't anything wrong with going
right to surgery (if the ferret is an appropriate surgical candidate) and then
following up with lupron and oral melatonin post-op.

My thoughts -- for what they are worth!

-Sandra Mitchell, DVM, DABVP