Message Number: YG14207 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Melissa
Date: 2002-06-26 09:21:00 UTC
Subject: "Silly" insulinoma / stomach relation question

Guys:

I am sort of ashamed to admit this, but I don't think
I understand the relationship between long-term
prednisone usage and stomach/eating problems. I
thought that the prednisone would eventually cause
ulcers in most ferrets (after 6 - 8 months of use,
dependig on dose). My vet said that she doesn't think
the prednisone is the cause of stomach problems. She
thinks the cause is the general "illness" of the
ferret that tends to result in concurrently-developing
gastritis. So, you might think, 6-1, half-dozen to
the other. . .

Well, it does kind of matter if the ferret develops
the stomach problems (refusal to eat, occasional
gagging/vomiting before meals). Because now, my vet
recommends *increasing* the prednisone dosage and
adding carafate 3x/d. I'm fine adding the carafate
(can't hurt no matter what the cause is) but we just
lowered the prednisone dose, and his activity level is
*fine*. He is actually more active now that we
lowered it, and my impression was that an increase in
pred dose would cause more tummy problems, not less.
(for 6 months, it was 0.8 cc 1x/d, then 4 weeks ago up
to 0.8 cc 1x/d + 0.4 cc 1x/d, then 2 weeks ago was
refusing to eat, and so down to 0.4 cc 2x/d, then down
last week to 0.3 cc 2x/d, because refusal to eat plus
gagging/vomiting. Now proposed med change is 0.6 cc
2x/d). Since his activity level has actually improved
with the decrease in dose, I am wondering if it makes
sense to push it back up again.

Thanks very much for any suggestions or opinons.
Melissa


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com