Message Number: YG13785 | New FHL Archives Search
From: dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-06-12 18:51:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Hard Decision - need some help

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "moorgannandorf" <lshoup@m...> wrote:
> My wife and I may decide to put our beloved Tigger to sleep
tomorrow.
>
> She has had insulinoma for 12 months now, and her system seems to
> be "breaking down." She sleeps in our arms, she is on prednisone
but
> a few days ago I noticed her getting really skinny around the neck
> area along with hair loss on her backside. Both my wife and I
> suspected adrenal disease as well.
>
> The doctor said that she is most likely getting an adrenal tumor
> because of too much cortuzol (sp?) from both the possible adrenal
> tumor as well as the prednisone. Instead of 0.3 cc's of prednisone
> twice a day, the doctor decreased the dosage to 0.15 cc's twice per
> day.


Dear Larry:

The cortisol theory is not appropriate in ferrets - elevated levels
of prednisone do not cause adrenal tumors to develop, and the dosage
of pednsione that you are giving is not excessive.

I agree with the previous response that a blood glucose level should
be checked in order to more definitively identify whether the
insulinoma is the cause of the lethargy. There are always options
for adrenal disease and insulinoma, including surgery. If money is
not an option here, I always prefer giving every animal a shot at
recovery. If surgery is not an option, then Lupron and an adjustment
of prednisone dosage to control the hypoglycemia would certainly be a
worthwhile approach.

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, DVM