From:
ferretmama226
Date: 2002-02-17 12:20:00 UTC
Subject: Advice for Knucklehead
I need some advice for Knucklehead. He's about 7 years old, Marshall
Farms hob.
His background: A woman posted on the FML that she needed to find a
new home for Knucklehead since he had a large, nasty cyst on his neck
that she couldn't afford to have removed.
6/22/01 Got Knucklehead
6/23/01 Knucklehead's initial vet exam
6/25/01 Pre-surgery bloodwork - all normal (don't think blood
glucose was done)
6/27/01 Surgery - biopsy revealed benign epithelioma, recovered
nicely
next few months - was perfectly fine, then suddenly lost a
significant amount of weight (went from 2 lb 12 oz to 2 lb) within
the span of about 2 weeks.
9/?/01 Blood glucose checked at ferret shelter - mid-30s
9/11/01 Vet visit - blood glucose in mid-30s, diagnosed with
insulinoma and put on predia-pred (I forget initial dosage)
11/27/01 Vet visit - blood glucose in mid-60s, pred increased to
0.5cc 2x daily - noticable increase in energy
early 2/01 Signs of adrenal - hair loss, aggressive
Knucklehead is now on melatonin treatment for the adrenal. I need
help determining if he should go in for sugery now. He came out of
the last surgery with flying colors, but he's not the same weight and
strength that he was back then. I'm concerned that the surgery will
help alleviate the adrenal symptoms, yet he will still be plagued
with the insulinoma. I don't want to spend a lot of money and put
him through stressful surgery if the insulinoma is going to take him
down anyway.
I'm gun-shy about surgery since 2 of my fosters were unsuccessful
with it. Sunny died shortly after adrenal/prostrate surgery and
Buddy died during adrenal/stomach & spleen tumors surgery. They were
about the same age and strength as Kncuklehead. We thought they were
strong enough, but didn't pull through. I don't want the same to
happen to Knuckles.
Money is tight right now, although I can have an ebay fundraiser to
raise the necessary funds. I don't want to allow that to be an
issue.
Any helpful suggestions?
Vicky