From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-10-19 04:23:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Update on Brutus/Diabetes/ Vet advice?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., CandiceBush@a... wrote:
> Brutus is my previously insulinomic ferret, 7 months post pancreas
surgery,
> 18 months post 1 1/2 adrenalectomy. Was on lupron, pred 1.5 mg
twice daily,
> carafate, three weeks after starting melatonin developed high
glucose
> (500-600+). All meds have been weaned off. Labs are back.
>
> Insulin levels low at 4.3 (normal is above 10)
> WBC 2.0 (low)
> Hct slightly low
> K+ slightly low
> Alt slightly elevated
> Glucagon level judged "not indicated" because of low insulin level
> Blood glucose was 500
>
> At this point blood glucose, (which I check daily from a relatively
painless
> toe-pad stick using a Freestyle Monitor) is now running 240-400,
still
> drinking a lot and urinating copiously but looks pretty good. My
vet and I
> discussed starting insulin, but in view of the generally decreasing
blood
> glucose decided it may be safer to just monitor for a while and see
if the
> problem resolves on it's own. It seems risky to start insulin and
risk an
> insulin coma if his glucose bottoms out. If the glucose stays up,
we will
> start NPH insulin at 0.1 U twice a day and titrate to try to keep
his glucose
> about 200 dl/ml.
>
> Pam, who has been through this, and the FHL archives have been very
helpful.
> Does anyone else have comments/suggestiosn?
>
> cb
Candace:
Not really a comment, but just some words of encouragement.
Everything in your post appears spot on, and you have a good game
plan. Watch the treats and anything with sugar in it. If you can
maintain around 250, I don't think insulin is required. (One of
these days someone'll have to look into the newer oral glucose
stabilizers that humans use - glucophage, etc.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM