From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2003-01-09 01:31:12 UTC
Subject: RE: Melissa
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <14732746.1042075872215.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Lisa:
Prednisone at most doses won't truly worsen an ulcer, but it may retard healing. I am more worried about the Pepto - the stress of administering this stuff to a ferret is far more damaging than the prednisone.
Is there a reason why you are not contemplating surgery in an animal with such profound hypoglycemia? I would suspect that even high doses of pred will not result in normoglycemia, and if she already has ulcers, but is not terribly anemic - it may not be that much more of a risk in this case to remove the insulinoma surgically - get it out, and get on with the ulcer treatment.
The combination of Amoxi and Pepto by themselves is not really good treatment for anything - you can treat Helicobacter if you add in Flagyl - another fould tasting drug, or you can combine Biaxin with amoxi to treat Helicobacter. However, I am somewhat concerned that there does not appear to be any form of effective anti-ulcer therapy going on here.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
Author wrote:
> Hello - I thought I posted yesterday - but I guess I lost it before I posted it.
> Melissa went to the vet - she was in very bad shape when I brought her in. She had a strong heartbeat and good sounding lungs. The vet did a CBC, glucose and a set of x-rays.
> The x-rays showed a small bit of fluid in her lung so she gave me antibiotics and she also saw a mass by her spleen and possibly one large lymphnode. I will know what the CBC says later today. Her glucose was down to 30! She gave her a syringe with dextrose and no improvement. I took her home and she was still weak, too weak to pick up her head, but I put a bit of baby food in her mouth. A few hours later I woke her to feed her and she gave me a big yawn and stretch (which is a good sign I think). I am trying to feed her every 4 hours at the most and giving her pepto a few minutes before because she is grinding her teeth. If she continues I will ask for Carafate (she's had ulcers before). I have a prescription for Prednisone for .2cc's of 1ml/mg twice daily. Is this a lot to start off with? She told me she might have to add another med. to this if it doesn't control the glucose.
> I am not sure if she has gastric ulcers again - she stools are loose, but kinda normal for her since she is on baby food. However, I am just concerned that she is grinding her teeth and will be talking Prednisone. I've read it can cause stomach problems. Is this true?
> Thanks for reading - any advice will be greatly appreciated.
> Lisa & Melissa the ferret (SNOBOUND@aol.com)