From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2005-02-26 18:22:28 UTC
Subject: RE: Best Way
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <4722235.1109442148025.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Roary,
One thing we have done in the past for animals who are near the max of the few drugs where there is wiggle room (like Prednisolone) is we have gone beyond the max unless the individual had a reason like ulcers to avoid doing so. The situation has become at that point pretty much "Why not?". Some ferrets tolerate huge doses of Prednislone. We had a tiny female on a full 5 mg a day (It was in two doses.) without it causing her problems because she just personally tolerated it well.
I noticed that you mentioned Prednisone instead of Prednislone or Pediapred. Sometimes ferrets do not get optimal medicating from Prednisone. The thing is that the liver haas to process Prednisone into Prednisolone but if the liver is compromised at all then Prednisone may not work or may only partially work. If you have trying Prednisone then instead try Predlisolone.
How is it being spaced? I have been told by a vet that the Preds have an action time of about 9 hours. We have had used Preds as often as three times a day for one of ours on vet suggestion and got much better coverage.
Another trick if those don't work is the add sugars to the diet for ones who can't be controlled by medications any longer. Again, at that point since the alternative is death it becomes, "Why not?". This does not help all, but we had one get 3 full good months more after adding that near her end.
I hope that at least one of these pieces of information help you have more time together.
If they don't give more time it is important for you to know that while grande mal seizures are painful to watch, the individual having the grande mal seizure does NOT know what is going on at the time. That is true, too, for screaming seizures. I was told by a number of vets that on several lists who have had such seizures.) It makes sense given how much a grande mal seizure causes brain misfiring that this would be the case.