From:
lacochran@charter.net
Date: 2004-08-22 19:44:56 UTC
Subject: Diazoxide & Prednisolone Dosing
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2204053.1093203896240.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
I have a female ferret of unknown age since she was a rescue from a local animal shelter. She has been with us since December 2002. She has been diagnosed with Insulomina after she crashed the first weekend of June this year. She spent the weekend on IVs before being rushed to a ferret specialist 70 miles away on Monday. Her blood sugar was 40 Saturday night and they got it up to 123 with IVs.
Upon arrival at the ferret specialist, she was tested and an xray done. They discovered a blockage at the exit of her stomach. She had also been losing hair on her tail and hips before this emergency.
They operated on her, removed the blockage, (it appeared to be rubber from a sneaker), removed her left adrenal gland. Inspection of her pancreas appeared to be normal, her liver was pale and yellow looking, but was suspected to be that way since she had not eaten for a couple of days.
Whwn we brought her home on Tuesday, she looked and acted well. She ate kibble and treats. By Thursday, she started to refuse food again and we rushed her to the local vet. He shot her up with antibiotics and vitamin B. It was the next Thursday before the ferret specialist was badk in his office. We rushed her back to him as sonn as he came back from training in Arizona and he confirmed Insulomina even though the pancreas had appeared normal.
We started her on 0.75ml of Prednisolone twice daily of a 6.7mg/5m concentration. We upped the doasge to 1.0 ml twice daily when her spacing out and trmbling episodes returned.
She gained a tremendous amount of weight in her belly and hind end. She weighed 1lb 8 oz before surgery, 1 lb 11oz when we returned to the vet 2 weeks later, and now weighs 2lbs 6 oz with all of it in her rear. She also has a knot on each side of her neck.
After researching her weight gain, I believe that the Pred is causing her to retain weight and water. We contacted the ferret vet and he prescribed Diazoxide in addition to the Pred. He wants her dosed at 0.35 Diazoxide (20mg/cc) and to continue the 1.0 ml of Prednisolone.
I feel that the Pred is the problem with her weight gain, she is miserable, she can hardly waddle, no longer can climb in and out of the bathtub, and breathes horribly when she sleeps.
If we are able to cut back on the Pred, will she lose the weight and water?
In summary:
Weight 2 pounds 6 ounces
Prenisolone: 1ml twice daily of Prednisolone SOD PHOS 6.7MG/5M
Diazoxide: 0.35 cc twice daily of Diazoxide 20MG/CC
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post and thanks in advance for the replies.
Arnold Cochran
Owned by Stinky (3 year old male sable and Sophie female age unknown.)