From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-04-21 10:18:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Surgery for Insulinoma
>Hi Dan. I just wondered if the surgery you mentioned is on his
>spleen or what exactly?? My 4 years old >boy also has Insulinoma
>and he has been diagnosed for about 5 or 6 months. I have not had
>surgery >done on him. He is just on Prednisone.
The surgery gives a lot more time than meds do, so is preferable
unless a ferret is not a surgical candidate or it can't be done or
would be less effective for other reasons (which is why they are vets
and we aren't -- they can assess those things).
Splenalomegaly (enlarged spleen) is not unusual over time in ferrets
and is usually in response to a long-term infection which may or may
not have been hidden. It does not cause insulinoma.
The tumors which cause insulinoma and secrete too much insulin are
ones that are in the pancreas and they are often very tiny.