From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-08-23 16:29:00 UTC
Subject: RE: Re: Adrenal & partial pancreatectomy... pot op
questions Looking for Vet Replys as well.
>
>had the left removed, the right cryoed and some removed along with her vena
>cava being ligated. She was touch and go the first week, my vet is AWESOME,
> I brought
>her home on Florinef and dexamethosone and we weaned them both doe to being
>off them 2 weeks ago and then 24 hours after the last Florinef dose, she
>took a VERY drastic downhill slide at 11pm at night. I thought I was going
>to loose her. She couldn't walk, she was very weak, lethargic, rapid
>breathing, had a small seizure activity and I gave her karo syrup every hour
>thru the night just to keep her sugar up, I slept on the couch with her on
>my chest to ensure she was breathing. I called an emergency vet clinic
>suspecting that she needed to be back on the florinef.
That is exactly what I would think under the circumstances, too.
> I explained what was
>going on and if it got worse during the night if they would give her
>florinef (they were not ferret knowledgable vets), they said they would if I
>got into that place. I sustained her during the night, got her to Dr. Gates
>in the am and he said she was VERY sick and that her electrolytes were off
Which does sound like the Florinef is needed.
>and that her BS was 120. He said I did good keeping her alive thru the
>night.
That is for sure!
> He gave her a loading dose for 3 days of the florinef and then
>decreased after 3 weeks and then decrease again for 2 more weeks. He said
>at that time, I can try to wean her off. My questions are::
>1. If I wean her again is there a HIGH probability of this happening again ?
If she has no adrenals then the answer is "Yes.". I don't understand
why he wants to wean her off. Ferrets do very well long term on
Florinef and Prednisone. We haven't had any on Percorten and
Prednisone but have heard good reports about that combo, too.
>2. Are there any long term affects or problems or complications with her
>being on this hormone for extended periods ?
I have read a report on a different site about a ferret in its fourth
year on Florinef and thriving.
>3. How does this med affect the hair regrowth and vulvular shrinking ?
>4. What kind of life expectancy can I have for her ?
Well, Ashling was about the same age at surgery around a year ago
when she lost both adrenals completely, and is on Florinef and
Prednisone morning and night and is happy with them (except for
hating her Pred.'s taste), and we have been told that there is no
reason to not expect her to have a normal and full life. We still
regularly find that she has climbed up to a perch 8 feet in the air.
(In her case she has no other health concerns.)
>
>She is approximately 4 years old and otherwise doing well. She also had a
>gastromoty with wth adrenal surgery because they felt a mass of plastic ? in
>her stomach and she stated that could have been there for "quite some time",
Those are hard surgeries on ferrets but real life savers.
>we had only had her a month before the surgery. With the rapid decline she
>was grinding her teeth feverishly and Dr. Gates also gave her A/d for
>several days and amoxicillian for her stomach. I have not seen her grinding
>as much but she does shake/shiver ALL the time, and worse when being held,
>is this possibly from the medication ?
May still be healing some since so much was done at once, or could
have a little something else off.
Shaking when being held is sometimes joy; we have and have had some
who do that.
> Thanks in advance for all your
>replys.
>
>Dianna & The Animal House
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