From:
ferretwoman33@yahoo.com
Date: 2001-04-02 20:43:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Low blood sugar but no physical signs
Thank you for your suggestions. My vet is the kind who tells me not
to believe everything I read on the internet (it contradicts his
advice a lot of times) however he is the same vet that a ferret
shelter in the area uses, so I trust him. He's taken the test twice
so I really don't want to ask him again - perhaps I'll take Bandit to
another vet (I use two regularly) and have him do the test with
different equipment. I just don't want to put Bandit through too
many tests!
I only give the nutrical either before or immediately following a
meal (he's not eating much on his own, so I'm feeding him by hand
three or more times a day). I don't know if it's doing worse or
better for him. He has his good days (playful) and his bad days
(he'd rather sleep)and it doesn't seem to make much difference with
the supplement. But because he's not eating well I want to give him
the supplement unless I can clearly see it's doing him harm.
Thanks again for your suggestions.
Linda
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Michael Janke" <mjanke@m...> wrote:
> While ferrets that have a gradual reduction of blood glucose levels
seem to
> adapt to it to some degree, 21mg/dl and then a number that is an
unknown
> amount below that and to be asymptomatic seems unusual. That's not
to say
> that Bandit doesn't have a low glucose number, but perhaps just not
that
> low. I'd have Bandit retested, and if possible, with a different
tester.
>
> While the suggestion to give "sugar" is not a good idea, one
nationally
> known and respected ferret vet does recommend nutrical for
insulinoma
> ferrets. I give Beasley a little dab of Nutrical a couple times a
day, but
> only with a meal. I think the type of sugar in nutrical is what
makes it OK,
> though I couldn't say for sure. I would definitely stay away from
any other
> kind of sweets for Bandit as it can cause a spike then a crash of
blood
> sugar levels.
>
> Mike