How to obtain Suprelorin/deslorelin

[mustelidmusk]

I was able to obtain Suprelorin implants for my ferrets (I'm in the US) with the help of my vet. I imagine that the contcats I'm providing below will be able to help people in other countries as well. Jut keep in mind that you MUST go through these specific cotacts below. I've heard that most employees at Peptech (teh Autralian company that makes and supplies suprelorin implants) are unaware that the US allows import of Suprelorin for limited/personal use rather than wide-spread commercial application. So, if you get the wrong contact at Peptech, you be turned away empty-handed. The two gals below know aout use of the implants with ferrets as well

Here are the contacts at Peptech for obtaining the deslorelin implants:

"Rosie Warren" <[e-mail]>
OR
"Katie Yeates" <[e-mail]>

Just email them with your questions, and they will send you everything you need to give to your vet.

The difficult part may be getting your vet to get the paperwork fille out and sent. After my vet sent the paperwork, it t about 3 weeks to get the mplants. That includes sending the orderand getting the implants through customs and to my vet. Not bad!

Below is the email I sent to Rosie and Katie, I got an email response the very next day - I was shocked!!! I will not post the response because it's confidential, and I want to respect Peptech's business policies. However, please feel free to copy and update my initial request to pep-tech - I beleive it conains just about everything you 'll want to know.

The information packet for the vet was included in the email response I got from Rosie & Katie, so I was albe forward it to my vet. Alternatively, I'm sure you can prin the packet and provide the physical copy to your vet
-jennifer

Here is a copy of my reqest to Rosie and Katie...


Hi Rosie,

I’ve been given your name and email address as the correct contact for ordering Suprelorin implants for use by ferrets in the United States . I’m hoping you can help us out. I have some questions regarding how to order, what to order, and what information my vet will need to provide to obtain the implants. Specific questions are listed below, although I’m suspecting you may have some email-type and/or online literature that answers most of these questions. Please point me in the right direction so my vet and I can obtain the implants as quickly as possible.

I’m really looking forward to trying these implants – I’ve heard so many good things regarding the Suprelorin treatment. My questions are listed below. Please let me know if anything in my email requires clarification.

Many Thanks!!!

- Jennifer Robertson ([e-mail])


Suprelorin Questions:

What information does my vet need to provide to obtain the implants?

What is the best way for my vet to place the order?

Approximately how long will it take for PepTech to ship the implants once an order they receive an order?

What will the shipping costs be?

What is the dosing for ferret adrenal disease? (I’ve heard that ferrets use the 4.7 mg implant)

What is the cost per implant?

Is there a minimum order? if so, what is the minimal order?

Is there a discount for larger orders?

How are the implants best stored when not implanted in a ferret? (perhaps frozen?)

How long do the implants remain viable in storage?

How long does an implant typically remain effective in a ferret?

How is the implant administered? (is there a special injector provided with each implant?)

Where on the ferret is the implant injected? (in the scruff of the neck?)

Thanks again!

-jennifer

[sunnyberra]

Wow, okay Thanks for posting this!

[miamiferret2]

peptech in australia. we used the same email for rosie warren that jennifer provided. the problem is that yes, as jennifer stated, the vet does have to do some work and submit copies of his license, and whatever other paperwork they require of him/her. i can imagine that most vets will not want to deal with it because it is a hassle and so you will have to be persistent with your vet so that he follows through.
after they charge your vet's credit card it takes 3 to 4 weeks to receive it. i think my vet charged me $80.00 for the implant but he said it lasts about a year.

[mustelidmusk]

$80. for the implant is a decent deal because the shipping alone for 4 implants cost me 80. I gave my vet my credit card info and paid for everything - GLADLY - just to get the implants for my brats.

The thing that sucks about vets not wanting to do this is that ,once the paper work has been done for the first order, the second order should be easy. I would assume the vet could have the vet tech or receptionist fill out the order. I would expect that having the ability to get these implants would bring in more customers!

One thing you may want to do is try to get a group of people together for a larger order - check with clubs and shelters who may want the implants...this may motivate a vet to get off his/her butt to help some animals

-jennifer

[sherrylynne]

Now if I could only get my vet to even respond to my requests for the des. implant

[Heather]

Mine won't even consider it at the moment. Seemingly, it's been a product that was and is used on the race track to keep horses from coming into season so they can continue to race them (it's not a new product, just a new purpose)...she's had all sorts of problems with it (she used to work in the horse world before deciding that it was not for her). I'm going to go in sometime this week and I'm going to talk to her again. Pooka's no longer responding to her meds and has developed ulcers and doesn't respond to lupron. I know this is later stage adrenal and I know there has to be an end sometime, but she's still having so much fun with life it's just not fair . It's really sad. I've got two little ones right now, Pooka who is adrenal and about 10 yrs old. Then there is Calypso who has spinal injuries and is insulinomic who is about 6 or 7. Pooka loves life and enjoys life every chance she gets, Calypso on the other hand seems to find life a chore and though she doesn't appear to be in pain doesn't do much even now that we have her bg under control. She's never been a happy fert if you know what I mean
ciao

[mustelidmusk]

The biggest deal with the race horses (at least from what I have read) is that the mares had trouble coming into season after being in deslorelin. The product is called ovuplant (assuming my memory is working)

The commercial horse industry is brutal - I can just imagine a winning filly not coming into season/not conceiving... oh boy, what a MESS.

What I would do is arm yourself with info about the ovuplant and the deslorelin studies and try again.

-jennifer

[Heather]

That's it Jennifer. I'm going to push the fact that I have no need to ever use Pooka for kits I only want her not to suffer and maybe enjoy life a bit longer. I will do some research and see if what I can come up with.
ciao

[miamiferret2]

the deslorelin that they use for horses is not the same one that they use for ferrets. they must not use the horse deslorelin implant on ferrets.
if your vet is skeptical, just ask peptech to send you literature and give it to her to read. as jennifer said, after your vet orders it the first time and goes through all the hassle w/ paperwork etc. it will be cake to order from peptech thereafter.

[AnimalFarm2006]

How long does deslorelin last? And if lupron isn't working, Will deslorin work instead?

I'm thinking about asking my vet for deslorin for monster and dingo. Does it bring back hair at all?

[mustelidmusk]

How long does deslorelin last? reports indicate that implants last for approx.9 mos. - 1 year (sometimes longer)


And if lupron isn't working, Will deslorelin work instead? Lupon was not working at all for my 4 ferrets, but he Deslorelin IS working well. This may depend upon the individual ferret, level of disease present, and proper storage of the drug etc.

I'm thinking about asking my vet for deslorin for monster and dingo. Does it bring back hair at all? My ferrets have no hair loss other than they have had some rat tail here and there. Yes, deslorelin does result in fur re-growth. Again, as with all meds., results may vary by individual ferret, level of disease present, and proper storage of the drug etc.

-jennifer
This may depend upon the individual ferret, level of disease present, and proper storage of the drug etc.

[glynus]

Thank you so much for posting this info!! I really don't think that Melinda is responding to the melatonin I'm giving her so I think I am going to talk to my vet about the implants. I take it that one isn't really preferred over the other... just some fuzzies respond better to one than the other? Melinda is only 3 and I can't stand the idea of her losing out on several more years of fun or of her suffering unnecessarily... (getting teared up just thinking about it).


teri

[miamiferret2]

the implant is supposed to last 12 months. all adrenal tumors respond differently to different medications. it is just a trial and error thing.

[Heather]

They're supposed to last approx a year. Many people are finding they only last about 6 to 9 months and the tumours appear to be very aggressive when the des is allowed to wear off totally (waiting for the year rather than watching for returning symptoms) I would say to start looking for returning symptoms rather than looking for a solid time period and to be prepared to have another implant any time after 6 months. This conclusion is only drawn from reading and hearing from others who have used the des before. This is still a new process with a lot of unknowns. The type and age of the tumour is probably going to be the biggest variable.
ciao