From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2005-05-03 17:05:17 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: insulinoma and fluid build up in abdomin
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <22730182.1115142183106.JavaMail.nobody@vanadium.smartgroups.com>
Hi, everyone,
--- mjanke@miamiferret.org wrote:
> Insulinoma causes low blood glucose, it doesn't
> typically cause fluid build up in the abdomen.
> There could be cardiomyopathy (heart disease) or any
> number of other conditions that could cause this. I
> think you need a little more in-depth diagnosis to
> find out what's causing this so you know how to
> treat.
I agree with Mike on this. Your vet will probably
draw out some of the fluid for analysis to determine
what is going on.
At the very end of his life our Kodo had this problem.
Analysis of the fluid confirmed the working diagnosis
of lymphoma. Please note that Kodo was nine and a
half years old at that point so the fluid buildup does
not mean thet your ferret's prognosis is nearly as
gloomy as Kodo's was. Any number of things can cause
this. I agree with Mike that cardiomyopathy comes to
mind immediately and that can be treated with
medication. Our Podo lived with cardio for about a
year and that isn't what got him in the end.
Again, this doesn't mean your ferret doesn't have
insulinoma. Our Kodo most certainly did. It just
wasn't the cause of the fluid buildup.
They big point that Mike made and I agree with is that
this requires you to work closely with a good ferret
vet. This also isn't something that can wait at all.
Vet care should be pretty much immediate.
All the best,
Caity and the fearsome fivesome