ferret of lupron

Question
I have a 5 year male ferret loosing hair. My vet did the melatonin implant first and my ferret did not respond.  Did not lose anymore hair, but did not grow any back either. The vet said that some ferrets do not respond to the melatonin and suggested lupron injections once a month. He has had his first shot of lupron and I notice he is still loosing hair.  How long before I will see him regrow his fur?  How long before we will know if he is responding to the lupron??

Answer
Hi Toni:

Sorry to hear your little guy has gone through so much. Your story is EXACTLY like my Gilbert's.  I wish someone had told me before we went through all that - the 2mg six month Lupron depot injection is the only one that is effective against adrenal disease in ferrets.

Best place to get it is here:

Professional Arts Pharmacy
1-800-832-9285
(Baltimore, MD)

Be sure your vet is okay with prescribing the larger 2mg depot dosage every six months, then you can order the medication (cheaper than she can, probably) and take it to your appointment and have her give the injection. The injection is very difficult to give properly, so be SURE to have your vet give it; you won't want to waste it by giving it improperly.  

Once you know it's okay with your vet, call Professional Arts Pharmacy and tell them your ferret's name and your vet's name and phone number and the medication you want. Give them your credit card number. It's not cheap, but it's effective (price varies, so call to ask what the current price is). They work with lots of ferret parents and do a lot of lupron. You can expect delivery in just a couple of days after your vet approves it (OR, better yet, have your vet call in the Rx if she will do that).

The sooner he gets the injection, the sooner he will feel better. You need to be especially carefully with male ferrets. Watch to be sure his abdomen does not get tight and swollen. The prostate gland tends to swell and block the urinary tract and make it hard for them to pee. If they can't urinate, the bladder *can* even rupture, causing serious complications and possible death, so time is of the essence.

Best of luck - you and your little guy are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you can get the meds soon. He will grow fur back and get spunky fairly quickly after the injection - I was surprised. The injection makes them sore for 5-7 days, but after that, they get feeling better almost daily. The fur will regrow. If it starts falling out again...that's how you know it's time for another injection. Repeat as necessary; it will be about 4 to 7 months depending on the ferret.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers & a happy Gilbert (on Lupron)