Clayton Animal Hospital Pocket Pets & Reptiles

One of the most common diseases of
older ferrets is an over production of
hormones from their adrenal glands.
These abnormally high hormone
levels cause loss of energy &
appetite, itching & hair loss, and even
difficulty urinating in males. In some
cases surgery can solve these
problems. However, in cases where
surgery is not an option the use of a
melatonin implant may simply &
affordably improve the symptoms of
the disease.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring
hormone that blocks stimulation to
the adrenal glands and decreases
the over-production of troublesome
hormones. The implant is a
time-released form of melatonin that
sits beneath the skin and is replaced
every four months. The implantation
is a quick process done with light
sedation. This procedure has
resulted in a consistently improved
quality of life for our ferret patients.