From:
Ferret Fanatic
Date: 2003-07-10 22:16:10 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Fasting Blood Glucose Levels
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3F0DE5AA.A655F5FD@comcast.net>
cyprus4211@aol.com wrote:
> He has always had bouts of stomach problems that went away in a week or so. He had been slowing down a little for a few months. But he won't play unless played with and the dog and cat won't have anything to do with him anymore and he won't play with me. He hadn't been eating much of anything for about two weeks, seemed like right before the vet visit he slowed down more. He would move a little then lay down and rest.
I am not a vet but these are symptoms of insulinoma, I have had 3 ferrets with this disease. And any blood glucose readings in the 60's would have me concerned about insulinoma.
> We did an at home blood sugar with a glucometer and it was 41 a few days ago and the vet said add 20 which would make it 61. Today we did another fasting BG and it was 46 which means its 66. Somewhere I read 65-165 was normal, somewhere I read 80, which is right? The vet insists he has insulinoma. We feel his spleen everyday and it has been slowly getting smaller. He has been on amoxicillian for three days. We have has two ferrets that died from insulinoma, we know the symptoms, he has none of them! He gets tired and lethargic while playing, he rests for a while gets back up and plays again. He stays out of his cage for 5 hours sometimes without food and he's fine. he fasted for 3 hours before we took his blood sugar and he really put up a fight when we did it. Can a ferret have a normally low blood sugar and not have
> insulinoma? Sorry for the long post!
>
Vicki L. Henderson-aka-Ferret Fanatic