Deslorelin Implants for Ferrets and Birds

The Veterinary Center now offers deslorelin implants for ferrets and birds.

Deslorelin (Suprelorin F) hormone implants aid in the treatment of adrenal gland disease in ferrets. This condition, extremely common in middle-aged and senior ferrets, occurs when tumors form in one or both adrenal glands, resulting in the release of hormones that can cause hair loss, itchy skin, anemia, prostate gland enlargement in males (with potential fatal urinary tract obstruction), and bone marrow suppression.

Deslorelin is an implant that can be placed beneath the ferret’s skin in a simple, quick surgical procedure. It slowly releases hormones over time to suppress the negative effects of the hormones released by the adrenal gland tumor or tumors. While the implant does not eliminate the tumor, it can decrease the uncomfortable, unsightly, and potentially life-threatening effects of these tumors. Deslorelin implants are a new, safe, and revolutionary way to treat adrenal disease in ferrets that most animal hospitals do not offer.

Deslorelin is also used in birds to try to help control sexually-motivated feather picking and to try to deter egg-laying. Just as in ferrets, in birds, placing the implant is simple and involves a brief sedation in which the implant is inserted under the skin over the bird’s back. Implants in birds last up to several months and can be more convenient and cost effective than treating with monthly injections of the hormone, Lupron, which has been traditionally used to treat these conditions in birds. Unlike many other veterinary hospitals, the Veterinary Center has this revolutionary new treatment that is safe and effective in treating reproductive-based problems in birds.