From:
Sandy Adams
Date: 2001-11-12 15:18:00 UTC
Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] How do you know when it's time...
Regina,
I wish I could say something comforting about the way they pass from
endstage insulinoma.. I've losed 4 to it so far.. 2 have gone very quietly
in their sleep with a final coma.. and the other two were horrendous
screaming seizures.. both at times when the vet wasn't available.. which
necessitated a drive to the emergency clinic.. I've been told by experienced
ferret people and both of my vets that by the time they get to screaming
seizures they're not there any more.. and I pray that that's right because
it's a horrible sound and the seizures look very painful..
I have a little girl who's reaching end stage now.. I bring her to work with
me daily and she gets fed every 4 hours and meds every 6 to keep her
stable.. I know I"m running out of time but she's comfortable and snuggly
and enjoys her time with me and while she can still do that I'll keep her
with me..
Good luck & take care..
Sandy & The Adams Family Ferrets
----- Original Message -----
From: "- Z -" <regina_z@h...>
To: <Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com>; <ferret-list@c...>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 10:45 AM
>
> I am wondering if those of you who have had ferrets with insulinoma pass
on
> would mind sharing with me your experiences at the ends of your ferrets'
> lives. I've read through the various insulinoma pages and textbooks, but
> none of them go into specifics, and I feel like I don't know what to
expect.
> I've read that insulinoma does not grant a quiet death for the most
part,
> and I want to do what's right by Amelia while giving her the most time
that
> I can.
>
> Amelia is 7, on her weight's max dosages of both pediapred and proglycem
> (has been for a couple of months). Her blood glucose is still in the
upper
> sixties, even with these dosages (as a side note, she is one of those
> ferrets who is able to get along with a lower blood sugar than you'd
expect;
> when she was diagnosed with insulinoma she was in the low 40s and her
> symptoms were subtle). We had a run in with an ulcer in September, but she
> seems to have recovered from that. Eating, drinking, and pooping are all
> normal. Until very recently I would say her quality of life has been ok,
> although she sleeps subtantially more. Recently however she has started
> making pain noises in her sleep-- not that squeal that they sometimes
make,
> but little muffled whimpers that I have never heard from my little tough
> girl before. Occasionally she makes these noises while awake, usually
while
> being held. She has _never_ in her life let pain slow her down; she's
> always been the sort of ferret who after surgery is banging on the cage
door
> to be let out as soon as she's conscious.
>
> I do have a vet appointment lined up this week; I wish I could bring her
> sooner, but her regular vet, an excellent ferret doctor, is away, and in
my
> judgement it's better for us to wait to see the regular vet, since she
knows
> Amelia in particular and ferrets in general so well. It kills me to hear
> Amelia making those noises, but her behavior hasn't changed dramatically
> otherwise, so we wait. I've had experience with insulinoma in one other
> ferret, but he also had lymphoma which ended his life before his
insulinoma
> reached the stage that Amelia's has. So, if anyone is willing to share
> their experiences, I would appreciate it-- I know it is probably as
painful
> for you to remember as it is for me to be experiencing, so when I say I'd
> appreciate it, I mean that profoundly.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Regina
>
> (copied to both Ferret-Health and FML-- apologies for the crosspost. Also
I
> previously sent this to Ferret-Health but it never appeared, at least not
in
> my inbox, so sorry if there's duplication there)
>
> Regina Harrison regina_z@h... or regina@c...
>
> Gossamer into Spiderweb:
> http://www.channel1.com/users/regina/~gossamer.html
>
> So keep your candles burning
> And make her journey bright and pure
> That she will keep returning
> Always and evermore
> into my arms
>
>
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