From:
CandiceBush@aol.com
Date: 2001-10-23 04:40:00 UTC
Subject: Brutus/diabetes/insulin
Just an update to keep you informed of his progress: Brutus's glucose shot
up above 500 soon after my last post and he started seeming lethargic and
glassy-eyed, so I did start insulin. I started with 0.1U Humulin NPH and
quickly learned he needed larger doses. When we got up to 3.5 U twice daily
and his glucose still in 400's, I switched to Pork (Ilentin) NPH. Even so, 3
units gets me a glucose of 300 from 2-6 hours after the last dose. He does
behave normally though again. I have checked glucose 4-5 times daily while
raising doses. My plan is to hold him at maybe 4 U in am and 3 U in pm (I
want to minimize the risk of insulin shock at night) and stay at that dose
for a while.
I did find one person whose ferret required 10 U insulin twice daily to keep
glucose 450-500! Maybe insulinomic ferrets become wildly insulin resistant
as a survival technique. Also, I think it is possible to develop antibodies
to insulin. Anyway, we are still hoping for a spontaneous recovery.
cb