From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Saturday, October 16, 1999 10:12 AM To: mjanke@miamiferret.org Subject: (Fwd) Adrenal LIst #18 Forwarded message: From: Self To: @SENDLIST.PML,@SENDLIST.PML Subject: Adrenal LIst #18 Reply-to: Lynn McIntosh Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 19:33:09 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 1997 10:18:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Lynn Mcintosh To: Adrenal Group -- Amy Cada , Barbara Gustafson , barbg@oanet.com, beek@feist.com, Beth , "Brian L. Schmidt" , dadams@dzn.com, Dave and Pam Taynor , Deana Beek , Deb214@aol.com, Dixie Carter , Ellen Jensen , Ferretlesa@aol.com, ferreton@pond.com, ferretwise@top.monad.net, Gabby , Gary Holowicki , Helen Andersson , Jan3GDFA@aol.com, Jennifer Skeem , Jennifer_Morlanne@email.fpl.com, Joanne Gelormino , "Karen Purcell, DVM" , Lee McKee , Lorraine Tremblay , lotaweasel , "Michael F. Janke" , Pam Franklin , Pam Franklin , Patricia Curtis , Rick Beveridge , ROCHELLE@art.fss.buffalo.edu, Ster2872@aol.com, TMccabe453@aol.com, Troy Lynn Eckart , Tryntje Miller Subject: Adrenal LIst #18 Hi there. A shorter list today. Hope all is well or as well as can be expected with the fur kids. Because I don't always get the list out as soon as I'd like, especially when it's short and I wait for another post or two, I'd feel better if you cc the person the message is intended for when posting to the list (some people already do this). I don't want to be the cause for any delay for any needed information and I can't always tell if the person has been cc'd or not. But don't forget to cc ensuing responses to the list if it's something that could help us all! :) Also, since we're small but concentrated, while the FML is large (but diffuse) is never hurts to cc the FML if appropriate with the caveat that responses will be posted to the Adrenal List. It gets our name out there to those who could benefit (I don't have a web page so the only way of people knowing about us is word of mouth or the FML, so far). And it opens up possibilities of greater info flow toward more solutions. Just a suggestion, and certainly something that I don't always remember... :) Thanks. Lynn Mc. Adrenal List #18, date June 8, 1997 1. Adrenal List #17 -- Kelly's Ferret 2. Thyroids and Right Adrenal Tumors 3. Adrenal List #17 -- Timmy's Recipe 1.---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 3 Jun 1997 22:48:09 -0400 (EDT) From: ferretwise@top.monad.net Subject: Re; Adrenal list #17 -- Kelly's ferret Hello Kelly, I was reviewing the adrenal list and read your post. My thoughts are with you and your gal. From the description of the masses and te symptoms evidenced I would hazard a guess that the spleen and or liver are really bothering your kid. The spleen can be a very painful organ if it develops a cyst or begins to erupt, please keep this in mind. If your gal wakes up from a sleep screaming-- please heed her cries. It is almost unbearable pain. We have had several here in the shelter which endured far too much pain and had no quality time left. Learning when the suffering was enough was a hard lesson I am afraid. My suggestions might be this... but confer with your vet. A doseage of pediatric prednisone drops may make the masses more tolerable, but then will aggravate the liver / kidney . I could suggest you give 1/2 tsp of Flor essence tea ( most health food stores carry this-- all ready prepared in bottle. Must be refrigerated after opening-- keeps only 3 weeks after opening-- we freeze in ice cube trays and that as needed) 3 times a day - but the caution here is that if the ferret has a low blood sugar or a borderline low blood sugar condition it may exellerate this. The eassiac tea if she can take it may hold some promise. We have had one adrenal kid (bi lateral) who had a prostate cyst begin to dissolve while on this. It has good points and lesser points... as most alternatives do. 2.---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 4 Jun 1997 9:37:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Rochelle Newman Subject: thyroids, and right adrenal tumors Sterling wrote: >My vet now tells me that he thinks that my Tate has an overactive thyroid. Mike Janke wrote: >One of the ferrets in our shelter (Sammy) has hypothryroidism. >There is a test for this condition, I think it's called something like >"T-6" and there is also medication that can control it. Because thyroid problems are pretty rare in ferrets, my guess (I'm not a vet) is that there are no drugs specifically for ferrets for this, and that any medication will be an extra-label use of drugs for either cats, dogs, or humans. While I've never seen this in a fert (and can't comment on the likelihood of it), I have at least some experience with the human aspects of this, and my guess is that hyperthyroidism is going to be harder to treat than hypothyroidism. In hypO-, the thyroid isn't producing enough chemicals, so you give a synthetic version of the missing chemicals to get the levels up. (Mike, I'm guessing Sammy is on something like synthroid?) All you're really doing is adding *more* of something the body isn't producing enough of. In hypER-, however, the thyroid gland is pumping out too much of stuff; and I've not heard of a good agonist available to destroy the excess (although my knowledge is probably pretty far out of date). With humans, my understanding is that treatment involves taking radioactive iodine to kill off part of the thyroid gland - but that this is fairly difficult to regulate, and often leads to killing off too much, in which case the person became hypO-. Again, I can't say much about the likelihood of this being Tate's problem -- but I wouldn't think it would be as easily treatable as hypothyroidism if its really the case. As for tests - if the tests for humans work on ferrets (and it sounds like it might?), there would be tests for both hyper- and hypo-. On the personal front - Anyone have any ideas on the proportion of time that *right* adrenal disease is fast-growing/invasive? Its looking like our Shadow is having adrenal problems again. Her left was removed almost a year ago, but she's losing fur again (no vulvar swelling, but some skin thinning). I'm leaning *against* doing anything - she has had insulinoma for about a year and a half, and has had two surgeries for it already, both to no avail... and I suspect the insulinoma will catch up to her before the adrenal can do much harm. To be blunt, for anything but a very fast-growing, invasive tumor, the insulinoma will likely kill her first, and I don't want to make her go through surgery for no real reason. (A horrible thought, I know, but probably realistic - she's already lived longer with insulinoma than average, and at 7 she doesn't seem to bop back from surgery as quick as the younger ones. There really isn't anything we can do for her insulinoma. Our regular vet did the first insulinoma surgery, and couldn't find anything, even though we knew she had it. We talked to a ferret specialist, who thought maybe our regular vet had just missed it (her blood sugar levels by this point were in the 60's with pred, and probably into the 40's without), but when he did the surgery he couldn't find it, either. We suspect its either hiding in the liver, or is too diffuse to find; either way, there's not much we can do. She's already maxed out on proglycem, and getting pred in addition; we can increase her pred levels some, but realistically there's a limit to how much more we'll be able to do for her.) -rochelle 3.---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 4 Jun 1997 17:10:20 -0600 From: Barbara Gustafson Subject: Re: Adrenal List #17 -- Timmy's Recipe Hi Kelly, I just wanted to vouch for Gary's recipe for Timmy, I started using it about one month ago. I'm feeding it to my three ferrets, two who have adrenal disease. I haven't noticed any discernible difference with Tippie, she is still losing hair and so I've decided once again to put her through the surgery. She's still young and should handle it well. Hobie on the other hand is now 11 and surgery is no longer an option with him. I have most definitely noticed an improvement in his energy level, and his coat is getting soft and silky once again. He's even nosing into things he hasn't bothered with for the last couple years. I fully expect him to start digging in the couch again one day soon. (Never thought I'd look forward to that) It's entirely possible that given time Tippie would also show improvement, but at this time I prefer to go the surgery route. I will continue to feed Timmie's recipe to all of them and I'm hoping that with Tippie the recipe will keep the disease from coming back again. Don't let the amount of information in Gary's recipe stop you from using it. I found most of the ingredients were readily available from health food stores and those I wasn't able to get, Gary was kind enough to mail to me. He also was willing to answer all my questions, even when the answers were already in his postings. All my ferts love the recipe and lick it up to the last drop. Good luck to you and your ferret. Barb Gustafson (aka Boots) P.S. Gary, if you see this...what could I add to the recipe that would help Hobie with his arthritis? > from: "KELLY LYNN MCCLUNG" > > I have an elderly female ferret that has been diagnosed with adrenal > tumor cancer that has metasticized into over twelve masses. She > weighs only 1.1lbs and has lost most of her hair. She HATES meat, > wet cat food, and mushy dry food. I am desperate to try holistic medicine > as a last result in fighting her cancer, as the numerous vets and > oncologists have told me my three choices are to "euthanize" her, let her > pass away naturally (and possibly suffer) or to try experimental drugs > (and most likely suffer). Great alternatives!. . > > She still has an appetite but appears to be in pain when she moves a > certain way or while she is sleeping (she makes extremely loud and painful > sounding grunt/whimpers in her sleep). I could use any advise, help or > recipes you could offer. If you would like to know more or specific > information about little Farrah please let me know. > Thank you so much, > Kelly McClung > >>>>>>>>>>>>>> ------------------End of Adrenal LIst #18-------------------