From:
d6n6b6@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 2005-03-01 09:15:24 UTC
Subject: Another question and RE: neurological problem?? WAS:prednisone already? or wait?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1241583.1109668524601.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
*Thanks Sukie and Caitlyn for your replies. It occurred to me that I hadn'=
t given you an update yet...:
It turned out to be meningitis, which he has -fortunately- conquered by now=
. =
Sukie wrote:
> If it is lymphoma then it might be in the pancreas now. =
*It really is lymphoma, this was confirmed by histopathology after the lapa=
rotomy (which was actually meant to remove the mass, but that turned out to=
be impossible). =
> Lymphoma or carcinoma in the pancreas will behave much like >insulinoma t=
hough sometimes the attacks will come on suddenly >and can even kill -- tha=
t almost happened with the first signs >of each in the two ferrets we had w=
ith those diseases (the >first with lymphoma in the pancreas (Fritter) and =
the second >with carcinoma in the pancreas (Ashling)). =
*Is there any way to tell lymphoma or carcinoma in the pancreas apart from =
insulinoma (other then autopsy...). I'm pretty sure he doesn't have this n=
ow, but you never know in the future... Laparotomy is not an option anymore=
I'm afraid, but can an aspirate be done from the pancreas? =
> If your vet decides to also give Carafate as a stomach >bandage give it a=
t different times than the Prednisolone.
*This brings me to a new question I have... We started him on prednisolone =
for the lymphoma (0,25 mg, twice daily, he weighs 930grams), but I'm afraid=
he's getting really nauseaus from it. The first couple of days we heard h=
im making a noise in his sleep, as if there was some reflux which he swallo=
wed down again. But Saturday afternoon he had a real bad "attack" of tryin=
g to vomit. I say "try" as no food came out, just a lot of saliva. But he=
really couldn't stop. There were immediately lots of things popping throu=
gh my head, like metastasis to his stomach, thoracical metastasis which giv=
es pressure to his esopagus, insulinoma once again (although he didn't/does=
n't show any of the other signs and his BG is fine). But one other thing t=
hat occured to me -and though this may sound weird, I actually "hope" it's =
this- is that he might have stomach problems from the prednisolone. The ve=
t and I discussed this and we agreed on stopping the pred (at least tempora=
rily), and see if he still had the problems. He hasn't had any vomiting-at=
tacks or swallowing-difficulties since... =
-We will probably get an x-ray and/or echo done anyway, just to make sure, =
but does this sound like a possible explanation to you? Since you mention t=
he carafate, Sukie, I figure it's not abnormal for a ferret to have stomach=
problems from it? =
-Do these stomach problems normally occur so soon in the therapy? =
-And what should we do then, other then giving carafate, would it be feasib=
le to try another form of prednisolone? (He was getting a compounded liquid=
form, but I was going to change this anyway as it turned out to be full of=
sugar...). =
-I know of some vets over here who use methylprednisolone (moderin, pfizer)=
in ferrets with lymphoma, what do you think of this, and does anyone have =
any doses for it?
> On page 33 of _Essentials of Ferrets, a guide for >practitioners_ Dr. Kar=
en Purcell lists =
> Prednisone/Prednisolone as =
> 0.10-2.5 mg/kg q 12-24h PO
> Hope that helps.
*You really helped me alot! I did find a statement in a pharmacological boo=
k also, that only 50% of prednisone is becoming metabolized to prednisolone=
in the liver. =
Thanks again,
Wendy =
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