Whole females and des. ??

[Deleted]

Had a couple questions about owning whole females.

Does anyone have experience using the des implant long term as a chemical castration? If I ever bought a female ferret, I'd want to keep her whole for her life. I think there was a study about this ??

Any info/concerns about this would be greatly appreciated.

[Sherry]

I believe Marie has used it for hers, or knows someone who has? I seem to remember reading that in one of the conversations a while back, but not positive who.

[Deleted]

Haven't used it myself but I hear it is quite good, but only lasts 18 months?

[Sherry]

Here you go, Jackie:
veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/166/3/74.abstract

From this page. It's a study Marie posted:
holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=vetting&action=display&thread=954&page=4

[Deleted]

Thanks!

[Deleted]

I know a friend who used the Des. to put off neutering - she LOVED it...it was back when the med was impossible to get here in the US.
She was using it on hobs.

I've heard good things about using it on jills as well. That's what I plan to do for my next set of ferrets - which hopefullly won't be for quite some time. - the brats are getting up there in age

-jennifer

[Sherry]

Most people's problem is going to be reworking the "spay/neuter" contract with breeders, I think.

[joan]

I think you're right, Sherry. I'd be reluctant to agree to that with one of my jills at the present time, as I wouldn't be all that thrilled with one of mine being used as a guinea pig to evaluate any negative effects of long term use.

[Deleted]

The other issue I see is that many people do NOT have the funds for emergency surgery. Until you can COUNT ON being able to get the Deslorelin WHEN you need it, the chemical spay is risky. If the jill needs to be re-implanted, you cannot WAIT for that shipment of Des. to come in.

Yes, you can give a jill jab, etc. What if the rug stops working? You may end up with the need for jill jabs followed by blood work and spay. GOT MONEY??? I recommend keeping a liquid fund for emergency spay in addition to a "regular emergency fund).

If you opt in favor of doing the Des. for chemical neuter, I HIGHLY recommend doing a complete CBC/chem panel every 6 months. I would also do a Tennessee panel very year. But then again, I do more" preventive maintenance"/baselines than most.

Yes, there is always a risk no matter what you do....

-jennifer

[lorelei0922]

Hi guys.. i live in the UK and here it is becoming just recently the advice of Vets to do the implant Instead of neutering at all! They are that confident in the drug. I've considered it.. but have some concerns... especially in a place like the UK where there are so many in rescue.

first off .. price... at £70 per year for the implant.. vrs £35 for a one time only surgery.... yikes... thats a money making machine if i'd ever seen one!

Second... availability... our vet has to order them in when you request them and this can take up to a week. This spring this resulted in Cammy's disaster! and that was with an experienced breeder to deal with the outcome! God forbid an inexperienced owner have an "accident" while waiting for an implant to be available for their ferret!

3rd impact on rescues... here in the UK it is currently standard practice to neuter a ferret before releasing it to a new home or require a neutering contract as standard. Obviously they dont want anymore unwanted litters resulting from their rescues. What happens when someone gets a ferret whos' had this implant and then disapears or fails to implant next year?? or disapear with that ferret? can you say Population explosion??? and what if those ferrets are related!!! or poorly bred or not cared for properly during the pregnancy or any number of catastrophic failures that can and do unfortunately happen some time... all for the sake of this new

4th another Money issue.. what happens when the time comes and you cant afford that 2nd.. 3rd... or 4th implant?? we all know situations change! life is never certain these days with people losing jobs and homes with little notice...

5th... one my vet hasn't answered to my satisfaction... have you seen the size of the implant and needle... incredibly huge.. and they dont go in and extract the old one so you'll have how many implants roaming about in there? and repeats of a needle so big that many vets even experienced ones are requiring a ferret be sedated for implanting... how can this be the "best thing" for the ferret?

The research isn't complete.. and i dont know anyone who has had them long term ... i will be waiting till a lot of this is resolved before changing my neutering practices!!

[Heather]

Hi Heather...good to see you back I can answer your fifth question, by experience there. I''m not using the des implant as a chemical spay, I'm using it to postpone the end result of adrenal. I have seen the size of the needle, you do not need to use anesthetic. Pooka, was the only one who really complained and held it against us, when she recieved her shot. She told us what she thought of us . She wasn't particularly happy with the glue either...it stank ;D. Lady "B" took it stoically and really didn't notice, Captain Jack gave a bit of a squeak but was licking up the fish oil offered while the vet glued up the hole, Lady Sprite gave us an earful and then gave me kisses while she got glued up. The implant, dissolves completely. My guys were implanted in Feb., they need their next implant now. There is no mark, no grain left.
Now, your concern about getting the implant when needed, that is a concern. My guys need one now....my implants have not been recieved yet Despite being ordered before May. Because of the corporate take over, I may not be able to get the implants until things settle down. My vet wasn't happy when she heard of this. She says it happens all the time and every time it occurs it makes access to product difficult until things get straightened over.
ciao