Message Number: SG17033 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: tanya@screentechinc.com
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 00:38:52 +0100 (BST)
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Subject: [ferrethealth] Vet help please/kidney failure = death
Last week I brought my 4 y/o female into the vet in full seizure. She was =
pumped full of pred and dex and eventually valium to stop the seizing. The=
seizing stopped but she was very out of it. She remained in hospital for =
3 days on an IV drip. When she was released her BG was holding steady betw=
een 94-110. Here dx was insulinoma and I was instructed to continue amoxi =
until her diarrhea cleared and 1cc of pred 2x a day. I was to bring her ba=
ck 5 days later for another BG check. During her stay a blood panel was no=
t done at any time. When I brought her in, I told the vet I had not seen A=
NY normal signs of insulinoma and had roused her 2 hours prior to her going=
into the full seizure. At that time she seemed fine, sleepy but fine. I =
was completely and totally shocked when 2 hrs later I heard the screams.The=
next day after her release I noticed her eating her feces and called the c=
linic (She was also eating duck soup and drinking water). The vet was not =
concerned about the poop eating but told me to bring her in if I felt she w=
as worse and they could perform an accucheck. I didn=92t notice her gettin=
g any worse so I didn=92t take her in for an accucheck. Other then the poo=
p eating she seemed to be getting better each day, more alert eating and dr=
inking normally. Four days after her release I called the vet and said I d=
idn=92t think she was doing as well as she should be. I noticed complete l=
ack of activity, she seemed to be getting worse not better although she was=
drinking lots of water and eating well. The vet still wasn=92t too concer=
ned =96 she said she didn=92t expect her to get =93better=94 as the seizuri=
ng could have caused neurological damage. The next day her poops started g=
etting smaller and gelatinous - I told the vet her symptoms seemed like a b=
lockage (lethargy, eating, some gagging like noises, small poops), so I bro=
ught her in where an accucheck was done and a HI (meaning over 500) reading=
was recorded. She also did a urine strip =96 there was a ton of sugar in =
her urine. I was instructed to immediately stop the pred.The next morning =
she was worse and I rushed her to the vet. Once again an accucheck was don=
e and a HI reading came back. I requested a blood panel be performed to se=
e where she was =93at=94. 15 minutes later I got the results =96 she was i=
n full kidney failure! At 5pm that day my little Roxy Pants passed away mu=
ch to my distress and dismay. I have many questions and I=92m hoping the v=
ets and anyone who is qualified to answer can help me. I don=92t want to g=
ive my own conclusions as I want objective opinions based upon the info I=92=
ve given. If any other questions are needed please ask and I=92ll do my be=
st to answer. First question =96 I know that 99.9% of the time an older fe=
rret comes in seizuring it normally points to insulimona. However, if the =
owner tells you they haven=92t seen normal symptoms (drooling, falling over=
, staring) would the vet just assume it=92s insulinoma or would you run tes=
ts knowing it could be something else?2) If Roxy was diabetic (thus causing=
the seizure) would px=92ing pred throw her into kidney failure?3) If Roxy=
was in kidney failure when I brought her in (thus causing the seizure) wou=
ld pred have aggravated the condition?4) The vet has said she didn=92t beli=
eve Roxy was insulinomic (this after her death), however, she was treated a=
s if she was and no blood panel was performed at any time. The 2nd time I =
brought her in and I did say to the tech who was trying to draw blood out o=
f her leg to go for the jugular as I was sure we needed more blood to do a =
chem panel. None was performed. As a vet, if an owner tells you they didn=
=92t see classic signs of insulinoma (and they are an experienced ferret ow=
ner) would you consider the seizure not an insulinomic episode and if so, h=
ow would you proceed?Nothing will bring my Roxy back and I know I=92m more =
knowledgeable from this experience. However it=92s still a hard pill to sw=
allow =96 knowing she could still be here with me.Tanya =
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