From:
Mike Janke
Date: 2001-11-20 18:54:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Insulinoma Question
I would never fast a ferret that is suspected of having low blood
glucose. Your ferret is very lucky. An 11 hour fast could have
precipitated a severe hypoglycemic seizure. A normal, healthy ferret
could easily go 11 hours without eating with no harmful effects, but
if his blood glucose is in fact low, it would be a major problem.
Since you first got a reading of 20 mg/dl and then 70 mg/dl after a
11 hour fast, I think I'd want to retest a few times under normal
conditions to see what the results are. I wouldn't fast him at all
for subsequent tests and see what the results were like.
Under "normal" conditions, a consistent reading of 70 mg/dl would be
very marginal and likely indicative of insulinoma.
mike
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., ferretfunhouse2002@y... wrote:
> I have a 3.3 pound male ferret, 1.6 years old. My vet supects
> Insulinoma and has taken several Blood Glucose tests.
>
> After receiving nutrical his first blood glucose reading was 20.
> After receiving Dextrose the reading went up to 75 the next moring.
> After a week of Predizone and Amoxicillin daily, the reading was up
> to 85.
>
> I know the blood glucose range is 80-120 but my question is this:
>
> The blood glucose test taken today returned a reading of 70, In
> preparation for this test my ferret hadn't taken Predizone and
> Amoxicillin for 48 hours prior to the test and also prior to the
test
> my ferret had been fasting for 11 hours at the vet building.
>
> Should we expect the level to be below the norm of 80-120 due to 11
> hours of fasting and removal of Predizone 48 hours prior to the
test?
> Or should the level appear above the norm?
>
> Also, due to the conditions prior to the test is a reading of 70
> considered good?