From:
Steve Austin
Date: 2002-03-11 13:01:00 UTC
Subject: Questions on taking care of sick ferret
Here is a cheaper option, it sounds like he
does have a low blood sugar caused by insulinoma.
I would take him to the vet just for an exam and
a blood glucose check- mine has the little glucometer that
diabetics use.
I would pay about $40 for that visit including the test,
but your vet may vary, if drawing the blood costs more
have him clip the nail a little short for the test, and
have stypic powder on hand to stop the bleeding.
At that time the ear discharge can be looked at for mites,
my vet would charge a few dollars for this, sometimes
he doesn't depending on what else I am there for.
If the glucose is less than 60 it is insulinoma and you can
opt to treat it medically putting the ferret on prednisone,
you can get the tablets to crush and mix with ferretone
or something similar and it is much cheaper than the
liquid. He will need to be on a good high protein meat
based ferret food, and no fruits, or sugar in the diet,
no banana baby food. However, the meat baby food
like the Gerber's second stage chicken, veal, turkey,
or lamb and gravy ones are good for him- not the
rice or other kind, just the meat and gravy.
Make sure he doesn't forego a meal, and keep an eye
on him for episodes of low sugars- sluggish, drooling,
seizure, head bobbing, staggering, hind end weakness.
Patty
On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 07:07:32 EST userjoe2810@c... writes:
> I really wish I had the option of taking him to the vet. Recently my
> other
> ferret George, 4 years, had to have an adrenalectomy and I spent
> close to
> $4000 for that. So at this point I'm out of money and so I'm trying
> to do
> with what I can.
>
> Mandy
>
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