Possible biotin deficiency?

[sherrylynne]

The following post was on the FML(crossposted here with permission). After reading it, I googled "biotin deficiency"(because this is a biotin cream), only to find out the symptoms match. And as she said, the cream worked.
I emailed her, and from what she feeds(follows original post), there shouldn't be a problem with a deficiency.
Would a biotin deficiency show up in a normal bloodtest? If not, what type of panel would need to be done? And can adrenal lead to a deficiency like this? Also, how would a biotin deficiency be treated, if that is indeed what it is?

Any and all ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!





Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:34:41 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Gracie and her bald spots

I am so confused and surprised. Remember my little Gracie-No-Tail in
the summer and Gracie-With-Tail in the winter. I'm sure not. Well, for
a while I thought it was change of season thing and then I thought
Adreanal. Startin about 1 1/2 yrs ago the back of her neck between the
shoulders started thinning out. I was sure (and the vet said it was)
it was adreanal. I took her to the vet a few weeks ago and this was
when almost all her neck fur was gone.

Now here's the weird part. I dont know if this is all coincidence or
if it worked and I am a little embarrassed to write this, but... my
vet (who admits he's not very experienced with ferrets) told me he had
a customer who was a beautician and she told him she used this scalp
cream for growing hair on her ferrets who had lost some fur and it grew
it back. He said he uses it (lol) and it may worth a try. So he gives
me ths address of her salon and I go there that very same day. I
thought I was crazy doing this. I know its not possible. Sure enough
the beautician tells me she has 5 ferrets and she used this Biotin
Scalp-Creme, rejuvenating scalp treatment, on some of her ferts and
it really worked. So, I decide to spend the $13. for the small
tube (besides I can give it to my husband to use on his "hair"). I've
been massaging it into her skin about 3 times a week. Now don't laugh
everyone, but Gracie grew all her hair back and never lost her tail
hair this summer. You can't tell she was ever bald there!!!

Is this possible? I have been giving her oral melatonin mixed in her
food for the past year or so, so maybe that did it. But it didn't do it
last year! I don't know what to believe!! Okay now you can laugh. What
do you all think? I don't care if I get ridiculed, cause I will just
laugh with the rest of you guys. The only problem is the vet said he
felt she was a little swollen but he said just keep going with the oral
Melatonin. I've been thinking and I think she really needs implants
this year. But I would love all your opinions (and laughs).



Gracie only eats gerbers 2nd stage turkey and kibble. the kibble is usually a mix of Totally Ferret venison turkey, Marshall (not as musch as the rest of the foods) and Zupreem. I ordered Evo thru Ferret Depot instead of the zupreen this time. she also eats very little treats. I give my dog turkey and other meats( i kn ow not good, but i have a very spoiled tiny chihuahua) and i try to get gracie to try it but she just sniffs it and walks away. I put melatonin in her baby food every afternoon. Its hard to change her food because she is also very spoiled. She looks good this summer, in fact, the best in 3 summers. I tried making my own soup one summer in the crock pot but none of my ferrets would eat it so I stick to baby food (turkey only).

[Heather]

I have to admit I'm interested. What is the actual name of this cream? Can we google it's ingredients. This might actually tell us more. I know that if you feed ferrets too many eggs you will get a biotin deficiency (max is about 2 eggs per week, maybe 3 depending on the size) which will simulate similar symptoms as adrenal (mostly the hair loss, there are other symptoms that aren't there). I also discovered that if you buy these genetically engineered eggs, these will affect your ferrets faster (lower cholesterol eggs). Ferrets who are fed only kibbles shouldn't encounter biotin problems. Is there any hormones added to the cream? Adrenal is related to hormone problems...if there are hormones added to the creme it might actually result in some hair growth...? I'm fishing here There are chemicals that are added to hair tonics to stimulate hair growth that are created to simulate certain hormones. It's a possibility...I'm not a chemist but that's what rogain is. I'm open to suggestions here but I know a lot of warmer happier ferrets if we could grow hair on their naked little bodies
ciao

[halbear]

I am definitely interested in this. I have a naked ferret that I know would love to have her hair back! I am a bit skeptical, but I did a google search on "Biotin Scalp Creme," and a product by Nexxus came up, I posted the info on it below,

"Product Description: Nexxus VitaTress Biotin Creme is formulated with an abundance of nutrient rich ingredients including Biotin, B-Complex Vitamins, Amino Acids and Proteins to penetrate the epidermis and provide an ideal environment on the scalp for the growth of healthy hair. These regenerative Nutrients are enhanced with DHT inhibitors and anti Demodex ingredients to make Biotin Creme an extremely effective formulation for the treatment of thinning hair.

The addition of stimulating ingredients Swertia Japonica, Red Algae (Palmaria Palmata), Wild Mint, Niacin, Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng help activate cellular activity, necessary for the delivery of vital Nutrients. Biotin Creme is the advanced solution to achieving full, voluminous, healthy hair.



"Nexxus VitaTress BiotinCreme 2.1 oz from $10 (1 store)
Exclusively for fine, fragile, thinning hair ? A metabolic scalp treatment fortified with biotin to stimulate hair growth ? Concentrated ingredients strengthen hair ? Increases circulation to the scalp ? Penetrates the epidermis to benefit thin hair ? Noticeable results in approximately 45 days ? pH balanced ? An integral part of the VitaTress hair revitalization program VitaTress Biotin Creme is formulated with an abundance of nutrient rich ingredients including Biotin, B-Complex Vitamins, Amino Acids and Proteins to penetrate the epidermis and provide an ideal environment on the scalp for the growth of healthy hair. These regenerative Nutrients are enhanced with DHT inhibitors and anti Demodex ingredients to make Biotin Creme an extremely effective formulation for the treatment of thinning hair. The addition of stimulating ingredients Swertia Japonica, Red Algae , Wild Mint, Niacin, Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng help activate cellular activity, necessary for the delivery of vital Nutrients. Biotin Creme is the advanced solution to achieving full, voluminous, healthy hair.



In any case, I would like to hear some more opinions on this, and whether or not it would be safe to use on my lttle girls!!! That would be pretty cool if it worked with no negative side effects!!!!!

[lnsybean44]

Hmm this is very interesting.

My only worry with using this cream is that they mentioned anti demodex agents, I would be concerned that once you stop using it you would have an outbreak of demodex mange. Im not sure what DHT is. It might be interesting to see what happens on the short term.

[sherrylynne]

I forwarded Heather's post a couple of days ago. I'm still waiting to hear back on the name of the cream.

[comadrejaloquita14]

Jul 14, 2009 22:44:12 GMT -5 sherrylynne said:

The following post was on the FML(crossposted here with permission). After reading it, I googled "biotin deficiency"(because this is a biotin cream), only to find out the symptoms match. And as she said, the cream worked.
I emailed her, and from what she feeds(follows original post), there shouldn't be a problem with a deficiency.
Would a biotin deficiency show up in a normal bloodtest? If not, what type of panel would need to be done? And can adrenal lead to a deficiency like this? Also, how would a biotin deficiency be treated, if that is indeed what it is?

Any and all ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!





Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:34:41 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Gracie and her bald spots

I am so confused and surprised. Remember my little Gracie-No-Tail in
the summer and Gracie-With-Tail in the winter. I'm sure not. Well, for
a while I thought it was change of season thing and then I thought
Adreanal. Startin about 1 1/2 yrs ago the back of her neck between the
shoulders started thinning out. I was sure (and the vet said it was)
it was adreanal. I took her to the vet a few weeks ago and this was
when almost all her neck fur was gone.

Now here's the weird part. I dont know if this is all coincidence or
if it worked and I am a little embarrassed to write this, but... my
vet (who admits he's not very experienced with ferrets) told me he had
a customer who was a beautician and she told him she used this scalp
cream for growing hair on her ferrets who had lost some fur and it grew
it back. He said he uses it (lol) and it may worth a try. So he gives
me ths address of her salon and I go there that very same day. I
thought I was crazy doing this. I know its not possible. Sure enough
the beautician tells me she has 5 ferrets and she used this Biotin
Scalp-Creme, rejuvenating scalp treatment, on some of her ferts and
it really worked. So, I decide to spend the $13. for the small
tube (besides I can give it to my husband to use on his "hair"). I've
been massaging it into her skin about 3 times a week. Now don't laugh
everyone, but Gracie grew all her hair back and never lost her tail
hair this summer. You can't tell she was ever bald there!!!

Is this possible? I have been giving her oral melatonin mixed in her
food for the past year or so, so maybe that did it. But it didn't do it
last year! I don't know what to believe!! Okay now you can laugh. What
do you all think? I don't care if I get ridiculed, cause I will just
laugh with the rest of you guys. The only problem is the vet said he
felt she was a little swollen but he said just keep going with the oral
Melatonin. I've been thinking and I think she really needs implants
this year. But I would love all your opinions (and laughs).



Gracie only eats gerbers 2nd stage turkey and kibble. the kibble is usually a mix of Totally Ferret venison turkey, Marshall (not as musch as the rest of the foods) and Zupreem. I ordered Evo thru Ferret Depot instead of the zupreen this time. she also eats very little treats. I give my dog turkey and other meats( i kn ow not good, but i have a very spoiled tiny chihuahua) and i try to get gracie to try it but she just sniffs it and walks away. I put melatonin in her baby food every afternoon. Its hard to change her food because she is also very spoiled. She looks good this summer, in fact, the best in 3 summers. I tried making my own soup one summer in the crock pot but none of my ferrets would eat it so I stick to baby food (turkey only).

I wonder if she is using Nioxin?
I have very fine/thin hair that looks sort of bald in some areas sometimes for god knows why, all my blood work is fine (btw i do human phlebotomy and as far as people go there isnt a biotin test, lack of hair is usually from some hormonal deficiency so we test the hormones- usually the tsh (thryoid stimulating hormone), fsh and lh (fsh - follical stimulating hormone and lh - luteinizing hormone). I took biotin but it didnt help, my mom found nioxin and it works like a charm on me (except i had to stop because it starting causing my psoriasis to break out) however we still use it on my fiancee, he wants whats called a jaw strap (1/2 inch wide line of beared from one ear to the other) but his "breaks" (2 sections where hair never grew) and he started using this and its starting to grow. I know it comes in shampoo, conditioner and a thick spray but it may have a cream form too...?

EDIT- also forgot to mention, in people it can come from blocked follicle openings. Hair cant get through (usually dead skin over the follicle leaving like a pocket when you remove this skin flake sometimes thin 'suffocated' hair will pop out, all cruly and weird.. sometimes nothing will be there, these follicles have been totally 'suffocated') so a clairifying shampoo will work OR a brushing a toothbrush opposite direction of hair growth to remove dead skin and push it away from the area can help and it helps stimulate totally 'suffocted' follicles as well. I have heard of doing the toothbrush thing for ferrets who have bald tails, i thought it was kinda weird that they tell people who have pathetic hair (like mine) that arent actually 'balding' to do the same thing

[sherrylynne]

I honestly don't know. In spite of a couple of emails, she never did get back to me.

[foxfire]

A very good cheap version of the clarifying shampoo is get about 1 tablespoon or so of baking soda, add enough water to make a paste, and use that as a shampoo. I have a friend who only ever washes her hair with it, instead of shampoo. She then rinses with vinegar & water as a conditioner, and she has the most shiny & healthy hair I have ever seen. I tried it with Ozzie when he got rat tail while he was in rut, and yes it did help.

I hope Deb gets back to you Sherrylynne, we are all waiting to see what this Biotin cream is called..

[miamiferret2]

Interesting. Should definitely be looked into. I will mention it to my vet as he likes to research these things. LOL. but I'm skeptical. I would think that it is not the biotin so much as the "dht inhibitor." Rogaine cream has a dht inhibitor. Some men put crushed up propecia pills in their shampoo. And apparently it works for balding men.

[sherrylynne]

Unfortunately, I doubt if she'll ever get back to me foxfire, since this was almost 2 years ago.