From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 12:06 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Cc: faiml@uswelst.net Subject: FAIML #437; June 25, 2000 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #437; June 25, 2000 Hi. Please make sure to send messages for Ron directly to him as well as the list, if you send to the list. I'll be out all day and can't forward to him. Will be thinking of Thea, Ron, and sending prayers for her. I've seen pretty intense bruising after surgery, which has cleared up. So, I hope this is all it is, but hopefully you'll get more info from others (hopefully reassurance!). Lynn 1. Thea..again.... POST URGENT 2. Bicalutamide??? How effective is it w/adrenals 3. Swollen Vulva 4. re introduction of ferrets The FERRET ADRENAL/INSULINOMA MAILING LIST (FAIML) is a group that's come together to share support and information about adrenal and insulinoma diseases. FAIML comes out in digest format three to six times per week, depending on the number of posts sent, and their surgency. FAIML information is the opinion, only, of subscribers, mostly ferret caretakers. It is not medical advice, comes with no guarantee of accuracy, and is not meant to replace the examination and medical oversight of a qualified veterinarian. If your ferret is sick or exhibiting signs of illness take your fur kid to the most ferret- experienced vet you can find! A ferret-experienced vet is one of the most important services you can provide to your ferret. TO POST: Write POST at the end of your subject heading (the more specific you can be in your subject heading, the better) and send to . URGENT POSTS: If you feel the message is urgent please mark it POST URGENT and I'll send it out to subscribers as soon as I can, then include the message in the next list. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Please write POST ANONYMOUS after your subject heading if you don't want your address or last name published. SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE: Just use the one address for posts, subscription questions, requests, cancellations, comments, etc. The list is run by hand so just send me an email. ADRENAL/INSULINOMA WEBSITE: FAIML ARCHIVES/PHOTOS: Past FAIMLs are being archived, with a search feature, on Michael Janke's adrenal/insulinoma web site: . Michael is also kindly posting pictures of FAIML subscribers and the ferrets at this site in the FAIML Album. Check out his site for more info. PAM GREENE's FERRET FAQs: I suggest people read (and reread) Pamela Greene's Disease FAQ's on Insulin and Adrenal diseases, as they offer a good background. I forward them to all new subscribers, and will gladly send them upon request. I also send the "Disease Package", a file that tells how to get all six of Pamela Greene's FAQs on ferret diseases. Pam also has excellent FAQ's about general ferret care as well, and a link to these may be found on the FERRET CENTRAL web site: . THE FERRET MAILING LIST (FML): The FML has 3,000+ ferret-loving subscribers and the topic is simply ferrets, ferrets, and more ferrets. Moderated by Mr. Bill Gruber, it's a great source of ferret entertainment and information. Visit FERRET CENTRAL on the web (see paragraph above) for more info on the FML. To subscribe to the FML, send email to its moderator, Bill Gruber, at and ask to be added. You can also try subscribing automatically by sending email to with the command SUBSCRIBE FERRET in the body of the email. 1. Thea..again.... POST URGENT 2. Bicalutamide??? How effective is it w/adrenals 3. Swollen Vulva 4. re introduction of ferrets 1. Thea..again.... POST URGENT Date sent: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 08:13:12 -0700 (PDT) From: "Ron DeBaecke" Hi all, You may remember me and my posts about Thea this time last year... Thea is 4.5 now and adrenal in the right side.. our 1st vet tried twice and said it was inoperable. so i took everyones advice, and found a new vet.. he is top notch and at the front of ferret medicine.. Dr. David Kupersmith... Well based on our prior vets findings, he opted for Lupron.. It worked GREAT for awhile. about 2 months ago she started showing signs again. he decided it was best to go in. so may 30th he went in and found a very large right adrenal. about 3cm.. it was adhered to the vena cava and kidney. normally he would have removed the adrenal and kidney and a small portion of teh vena cava but Thea has NO left kidney.. so that was not an option.. so he more or less gave 2 options. try seperating the adrenal and kidney, but gave very success rate, or close her up and continue the lupron and let he live as long as possible that way. that was teh route we chose.. i was hopeing for a few months or maybe the summer.. but today,,, her abdomen is slightly swollen but COVERED with what looks like a huge bruise. everything is red/purple.. i mean the WHOLE abdoman. oh yes, i forgot to mention, 2 of her teets are large and round. about the size of lima beans. Dr.Kupersmith says the are probably tumors also, but with the late stages of adrenal, its not worthy to try and remove them..(he said that back during the surgery).. Now i need to know why the massive abdominal bruising appearance?? i mean this looks bad... he also believes, from his experiences, the ferrets that have adrenal tumors that grow at this fast a rate, while on lupron, are most likely cancerous.. so, is this bruising from the adrenal cancer?? or from the tumors on teh breasts?? the office is closed today, and he is off tommorrow.. so maybe someone out there has an explination.. she's not in any pain.. she is eating and drinking, shows normal signs of interest.. still wants out and wants to explore the suroundings.. she does seem to be a very little off balance or week in the hind legs.. but still climbs up on the bed,etc... any info or similar experiences would be helpful.. she's my baby, it brings tears just to write this... i feel helpless.. i've always managed to find a solution for her when everything seemed endless.. i kno wthis time is probably it... thanks Ron 2. Bicalutamide??? How effective is it w/adrenals Date sent: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 08:11:25 -0700 From: "Luz Ann Roberts" My vet wanted me to try this drug, Bicalutamide, once a day for my ferrets to see if it would halp the adrenal. I have one or possible two with insolanoma too. Does anyone know how effective this is? Is it as effective as lupron? Please, if anyone knows or has heard of it would you e-mail me back? ferret7@home.com 3. Swollen Vulva Date sent: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 09:01:23 -0400 From: "Paula Kelling" I am knew to the list and my name is Paula, I am owned by five very nice babies and five foster fuzzies. My question is should a baby who has had both adernal out still have a swollen vulva? This worries me it looks so uncomfortable. She was given up by an owner who took very good care of her and not sure why she gave them up but I think she is also going through a depression with all of this? Any suggestions would be great. Paula 4. re introduction of ferrets Date sent: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 17:22:05 -0400 From: "Public Relations" HI I am responding to the FAIML post. What you need to do is swap bedding from both cages-- then the surgical kid will smell more like the others. With the different hospital scent and the hormonal scents from the adrenal condition, they are trying to re-establish their cage pecking order. If you can get everyone more used to each others scents this should minimize the impact of re-introduction! Alicia at FerretWise Meet the folks at Ferret Wise and learn about our mission: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/index.html "Fun-alia" catalog with lots of neat stuff - supports Ferret Wise programs at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/funalia.html For astrologically inquisitive ferrets only- June readings at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~crassi/ferretscope.html and Visit iGive at http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=1890&mid=9535 where you can anonymously support ongoing rehabilitation and education projects at Ferret Wise by clicking and browsing at their site ! The ferrets will thank you! ----------------------- End of FAIML #437 -------------------------