From:
<caitlyn@mizuhoradio.com>
Date: 2003-12-30 17:52:39 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] hind leg wasting
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Cc: <jgalarneau72@juno.com>
Message-ID: <25457.155.226.255.42.1072806759.squirrel@www.mizuhoradio.com>
> Keiko is almost 8 years old and has had insulinoma for almost two
> years. She has always been very petite but in the past 6 months she has
> lost much of her fur and her weight loss/muscle loss has made her not
> much more than wrinkly skin and bones. She has a great appetite (eats
> mostly chicken baby food with kibble always available for munching) and
> she seems perky and playful.
This sounds like adrenal disease combined with a worsening of her
insulinoma. Has your vet checked her glucose? Run a Tennessee Panel? Has
lupron and/or melatonin been tried to see if that helps with weight loss and
hair loss? Has her medication dosage (prednisone or ???) been changed?
We have two nine year olds with insulinoma. Both are doing rather well at
this point but we do have to check blood glucose periodically and when it
gets low or we see symptoms (hind end weakness, lethargy) we have had to
increase their prednisone dosage to compensate.
The usual disclaimer applies: I am not a vet, just describing what I have
seen either with my own ferrets or rescues/fosters in my care.
Regards,
Caity and the exuberant eight