From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2005-03-03 21:55:42 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Pred and Insolinoma and longevity
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <213274.1109887785921.JavaMail.nobody@strontium.smartgroups.com>
Hi, everyone,
All our ferrets who had insulinoma had to have surgery
sooner or later. Pred doesn't work for all ferrets
and there comes a point when it upsets the stomach so
you simply can't go higher. Our NC vet has had very
mixed results with diazoxide. Basically if a moderate
dose of pediapred doesn't stabilize blood glucose in
the normal range he does surgery.
We've had one ferret, Ker Avon, who was probably
cured. He went over two and a half years after
surgery with normal blood glucose and no medication.
Lymphoma got him in the end.
The least favorable results we got were with Kodo who
was seven and a half when he had surgery. He only got
four months without medication but was maintained for
the rest of his life with a very moderate pediapred
dosage. He lived to be nine and a half. Considering
how poorly he tolerated the higher dose of pediapred
before his surgery I honestly believe that we bought
him an extra two years of good, quality life.
With the right, experienced ferret vet I have no doubt
that insulinoma surgery increases longevity for at
least some ferrets and improves the quality of life
for most. Insulinoma has yet to kill one of our
ferrets.
YMMV... and I am not a vet.
All the best,
Caity and the fantastic five