From:
Steve Austin
Date: 2002-06-26 10:06:00 UTC
Subject: "Silly" insulinoma / stomach relation question
I would adjust the prednisone values based on the
activity AND the glucose level, to confirm that
the changes in activity are due to the low blood
glucose. Low blood glucose can cause nausea.
Gastritis and stomach ulcers are common in ferrets,
especially if they are under stress, ill or older.
I would do the carafate and try some hand feedings
with meat baby food or chicken gravy recipe to
supplement the diet and make sure the ferret is eating.
Some people here suggested adding some heavy
whipping cream and some suggested Dyne or STAT
to add calories, and the cream probably adds some
flavor. I tried the cream with my boy and he liked
it, plus the carafate seemed to help.
Ferrets are pretty resistant to the side effects of prednisone
but it can contribute to the ulcers- but hard to know
what is causing what in many cases.
If you taper the pred and the glucose stays up and the
ferret is feeling fine, then stay at the lowest dose you
can give and get good results.
The hardest part with a ferret who is ill is juggling the
meds and getting the best dose, combination of meds
and spacing of meds.
BTW, the pred and carafate can't be given at the same
time.
Patty
ps. I am not a vet, any med changes should be done while
consulting your vet.
On Wed, 26 Jun 2002 06:21:05 -0700 (PDT) Melissa
<ferretgm@y...> writes:
> 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
>
>
>
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