title: Leuprolide acetate treatment of adrenocortical disease in ferrets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of leuprolide acetate, a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 ferrets with adrenocortical disease diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs and plasma sex hormone concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ferrets were treated with leuprolide (100 microg, IM, once), and plasma hormone concentrations were measured before and 3 to 6 weeks after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leuprolide treatment resulted in significant reductions in plasma estradiol, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations and eliminated or reduced clinical signs associated with adrenocortical disease. Decreases in vulvar swelling, pruritus, and undesirable sexual behaviors and aggression were evident 14 days after treatment; hair regrowth was evident by 4 weeks after treatment. The response to treatment was transitory, and clinical signs recurred in all ferrets. Mean +/- SEM time to recurrence was 3.7 +/- 0.4 months (range, 1.5 to 8 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that leuprolide can be safely used to temporarily eliminate clinical signs and reduce sex hormone concentrations in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases. However, the safety of long-term leuprolide use in ferrets has not been investigated, and the long-term effects of leuprolide in ferrets with nodular adrenal gland hyperplasia or adrenal gland tumors are unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Resources, School of Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Oliver
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood; D000303:Adrenal Cortex Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005289:Ferrets; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012449:Safety; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D016729:Leuprolide