A ferret friend sent me a link to an article in Pet Wiki about new advances in dog cancer, pointing me to the paragraph written by Dr Ananya Mandal in June 2010, which said …

“Queensland, Australia scientists have discovered a drug to cure cancer that has effectively worked in animals and is to be tried on humans in the next phase of trials. This drug is plant-derived and is called EBC-46 for trial purposes. The plant from which it is obtained is found in the Australian tropical rainforest. The drug has shown to reduce inoperable tumors in 150 dogs, cats and horses and a ferret to a significant extent. The drug was developed over the past six years from the seed of a rainforest plant found in the Atherton Tablelands. Scientists had cultivated their own plantation of the plant since forming the company QBiotics Limited in 2004.

QBiotics chief executive, Dr. Victoria Gordon, said in a statement, “Many pet owners involved in veterinary trials of EBC-46 have … literally watched the deadly tumors on their pets disintegrate within five to seven days of being treated … It is absolutely amazing to see this drug in action. The tumors almost shrink before your eyes … We have had outstanding results in the veterinary stage and it looks promising for humans.” She explained that the drug could be used as an injection into a solid tumor or applied as a gel over skin cancer. “It is a one-off treatment to rapidly knock down the tumor … Unlike other treatments like chemotherapy; the drug … stimulates the body to destroy the tumor, so we don’t see the negative side effects.”

Dr. Gordon hoped that EBC-46 would be available for veterinary markets in Australia and New Zealand next year. Thereafter initial trials on very small number of healthy adult humans would commence.”

As you can imagine, my eyes lit up when I saw the statement that EBC-46 reduced an inoperable tumour in a FERRET!

The company which produced this drug is called QBiotics and I’ll be writing to them to see if they can let me know what cancer the ferret had. The website says that the drug treats “solid tumours”.

I need to check with my vet if I have it right but I googled the question “Is insulinoma a “solid tumor” in the pancreas+ferret” and from the links which pop up, it would seem that it is. Lymphoma also came up as being a solid tumour but I couldn’t confirm what the tumours on the adrenal glands are called.

However, if this EBC-46 is available to vets now, and if they really do shrink tumours, then it can only be a great thing for our ferrets, don’t you think?

Imagine not having a feeling of dread flow over you when you see your ferret staring blankly into space or if it’s diagnosed with lymphoma if you know that there might just be something to help your ferret beat those awful cancers and live to a ripe old age.

I need to find out more and will share whatever news I come across so please watch this space :D

© 2011, Nona. All rights reserved.

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Filed under: Adrenal Gland Disease • Ferret Health • Ferret Research • Insulinoma in Ferrets • Lymphoma

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