Message Number: YG6646 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Amber
Date: 2001-08-25 16:43:00 UTC
Subject:

Nilla - 4.5 yr old female, dark eyed white, runt of the litter, and
deaf

History:

May 2001
Symptoms :noticed seedy, mucousy stool often (symptoms similar to ECE)
wasnt taken to the vet since this was on and off

July 2001
Symptoms: pooping "pools" of dark mucousy blood (this occured in one
day...I've not seen it since)
Diagnosis: vet suspected ulcers
Treatment:
Carafate - 1/8th tablet every 8-12 hours
Trimeth - .3cc 2xday
Pepto Bismol - .5cc every 8-12 hours.
**weight = 1.4 lbs.

Aug 6 2001
Symptoms: mucousy stool, refusal to eat, weight loss
Diagnosis: Eosinonophilic Gastroenteritis/Inflamatory Bowel
Disease/Gastritis
Treatment:
Carafate 1/8th tablet every 8-12 hours
Flagyl - .5cc every 8-12 hours
Hills A/D & chicken baby food fed through syringe
**weight = 1.2 lbs.

Aug 25 2001(About 3 hours ago)
Symptoms: mucous/watery stool, still not eating on her own, weight
loss, bumping into walls (possibly blind), drunken walk, lethargic

Exam findings: pupils respond to light...but no other indication that
she can see...(basically..he said she can distinguish bright light
and darkness but that's probably it). While at the office she walked
right into the wall...and the vet's feet. Much like a wind up toy
that would hit a wall...turn and continue to walk in another
direction.
***WEIGHT - 0.8 lbs !!!!! she looks like a SKELETON!!!
BG tested in at 46
Treatment:
While at the office she was given Dextrose by syringe
as well as an injection of Prednisone
She is to receive 1/4 tablet of Prednisone every 12 hours
Hills A/D & Chicken baby food mixture fed to her as much as possible

So there you have it. About 5 months ago this lil cutie was a very
happy, healthy ferret...Now...she's barely hanging on. She's deaf,
blind, anorexic, and now has Insulinoma. The vet never suspected
Insulinoma..that's why she was never tested. He's sure all the above
symptoms were related...but said they are not usually symptoms of
Insulinoma. She just became lethargic about 2 days ago. He didnt
really discuss surgery in any great detail since he wanted to see if
she reacted to the Prednisone first. From what I read...the cancer
nodules spread quickly and very frequently return even after surgery.
SO...i really dont know what to do at this point. If the pred doesnt
help her soon and she continues to decline...i'm afraid she's just
going to wither away since she's already sooooooooo tiny.

I also wanted to ask about seizures....I've read that they are common
with Insulinoma. I've noticed her standing in one spot with her eyes
half closed and rocking forward and backward....is this a seizure???
I want to be there to help her ..but i'm not sure what to look for.

Any help would be grately appreciated.

*love & light*
Amber, Nilla, Ferris, and Rikki