From:
cyprus4211@aol.com
Date: 2003-07-24 22:20:40 UTC
Subject: Insulinoma Blood Test Results
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1380752.1059085240206.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hi, I just wanted people's input on Tib's blood values. He's a 5 year old m=
ale ferret. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Insulin 26.0 (HIGH) norm-5-20 units ulu/ml
Ratio 67 Ratio
Glucose 69 (LOW) norm 80-120 mg/dl
Urea Nitrogen 22 norm 10-33 mg/dl
Creatinine 0.3 norm 0.2-0.8 mg/dl
Total Protein 6.8 norm 5.5-7.6 g/dl
Albumin 3.9 norm 2.4-4.5 g/dl
Total Bilirubin 0.2 norm 0.0-1.0 mg/dl
Alkaline Phosphatase 14(LOW) norm 15-45 u/l
ALT (SGPT) 104 norm 10-280 u/l
AST (SGOT) 49(LOW) norm 50-280 u/l
Cholesterol 62 norm 60-300 mg/dl
Calcium 8.7 norm 7.7-11.0 mg/dl
Phosphorus 6.4 norm 4.2-8.5 mg/dl
Sodium 157 norm 140-160 meq/l
Potassium 5.1 norm 4.3-5.8 meq/l
Chloride 120 (HIGH) norm 90-110 meq/l
Globulin 2.9 norm 2.9-4.9 g/dl
CPK 244 norm? u/l
Our vet said he has insulinoma and it can be treated with prednisone but sh=
e doesn't recommend surgery. We are not at all happy with that suggestion. =
He is a perfectly healthy ferret in every other way and has never shown any=
symptoms of insulinoma. He however has a very large spleen, it always has =
been large but now is really large. It seems to slow him down a lot he does=
n't act worn out just uncomfortable, like it's a lot to drag around. We are=
getting a second opinion Monday. We would like to find a vet locally that =
will operate on him. I would say he will need his spleen removed too becaus=
e it is so large. the vet said it would probably have to be removed just to=
get to his pancreas. We had two ferrets die of insulinoma and I refuse to =
let it happen again. I know the prognosis isn't good but he hasn't had any =
symptoms yet so I am hoping we caught it very early. I figure even if it do=
es grow back maybe that will be a year or more from now and by then maybe h=
e could have it removed again. I did read that some ferrets live 12 months =
to 5 years after surgery depending on how early you catch it. =
Thanks so much!
Angelica
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