From:
Amber
Date: 2001-08-26 00:00:00 UTC
Subject: Re: (unknown): starving ferret, long GI prob, poss.
seizures, vision loss -- original post # 21 in digest 356, 8/25
Thank you so much for your reply!! Let me try to answer a few
questions you asked...
>First off, be reassured that they adjust very well and quite rapidly
>to blindness so if that remains be reassured. It sounds like she
>has always been deaf. Scent is their primary info source.
Good to hear that she'll adjust quite well. She's been walking the
perimeter of the house lately (along walls and so forth) She seems to
have the place pretty much memorized and gets by ok. And yes..she's
always been deaf..took me about a year to finally realize it. I've
read it's quite common for albino/dark eyed whites to be deaf.
>Have blood tests been done? Very importantly, has blood sugar been
>run? In her case, given the starvation, I think it could make sense
>to also check insulin levels in case starvation is affecting her
>blood sugar levels.
Yes..her blood sugar was tested today...it was 46. So far that's the
only "blood" test that's been run. She's lost quite a bit of
weight..but i've been feeding her chicken baby food & hills A/D
mixture around the clock..so I dont know if i'd really call
her "starving". Yet..she didnt really tolerate much of it at a time.
>Yes, they can stand there seeming spaced out or can become lethargic
>with insulinoma, and untreated insulinoma can damage the eyes.
I've read about them seeming "spaced out". But I've seen her rock
back and forth a few minutes. I was wondering if this would be
considered a "seizure". I guess I just dont know what a ferret having
a seizure would look like...and I want to help her get out of it if
that's indeed what it is.
>For those who aren't surgical candidates there are medical options
>such as Prednisone and Proglycem if insulinoma is present. Pred can
>also at times improve appetite.
You are right about the Prednisone!!! Today she had an injection at
the vet office and has been eating like a pig. She's not done that in
quite some time. She still wont eat kibble (understandable) but she's
enjoying the chicken baby food VERY much whereas she would barely
tolerate it before. Now it seems she's looking for it and gobbles it
up on her own now. In fact..she's eaten more today then she has all
week!!! She used to eat a jar of baby food in about 4-5 days....and
she's eaten about 3/4ths of a jar today! Hopefully this will continue
and she'll put on a bit of weight!
Thanks again..and I'll keep you posted :)
*love & light*
Amber, Nilla, Ferris, and Rikki
For extensive info look in sources such as:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
http://www.ferretdoctor.com
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.ferret.net/medical/
http://www.trifl.org/medical.html
http://home.att.net/~hhoefer/
http://www.lbah.com/Ferrets/insulinoma.htm
http://www.ferretcentral.org