From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2003-12-18 03:59:00 UTC
Subject: RE: prednisone....sick
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5782385.1071719940683.JavaMail.root@indium.smartgroups.com>
He may be nauseated, but that could be EITHER from the Pred dose not being strong enough (since insulinoma itself produces these symptoms very often) OR from his maybe already having something like a hidden ulcer in place which the Pred might be irritating if it is present, so...
1. What was his blood glucose level?
2. How long before the blood was drawn had he eaten?
3. Was the measurement made in the hospital or sent out? (Length of time important.)
3. How many mg of Pred is he on and how often per day? (Alternatively how many cc or ml PLUS the mg/ml concentration level so that the mg level can be calculated.)
4. Is it Prednisone or Prednisolone? Some ferrets don't process Prednisone well so it can have little effect, whereas Prednisolone which skips the liver processing step works for a number of those individuals.
5. Are there any other signs of possible nausea?
6. Are his stools tarry and black or dark green?
7. What does he weigh?
8. Did you contact the vet in case the vet wants to adjust dosing according to symptoms? It is not unusual to try a low dose at first to see what happens and then make adjustments. Do you know if the vet may be trying this approach?
Seven is elderly, but the activity level decrease could be due to his insulinoma instead since lethargy is a common symptom of insulinoma.
I would not immediately assume that the Pred is at fault; his disease could be.