From:
"Bruce Williams, DVM"
Date: 2007-09-18 11:32:25 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: older ferret with insulinoma, one previous surgery, on pediapred but....
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "merylfaulkner"
<merylannefaulkner@...> wrote:
>
My question is when I take her in again in a few days for a
> check up,should I ask if it would be worth doing an exploratory and
> removing some pancreatic tissue, or ask about trying diazoxide - which
> seems to be one of the things that is sometimes mentioned in the FHL.
> Also, is there a maximum prednisolone dose that can be tolerated? I've
> read the archives and gone to the Miami Ferret and Dr Williams sites
> but it is really not addressed. I'm going to ask about dividing the
> 2mg dose into 0.65mls three times a day - from what I've read at FHL
> most people find that divided doses work better.
Dear Meryl:
I can address it right now. Diazoxide is an expensive drug which
rarely if ever works. It is a holdover from the old days when we had
less surgeons doing insulinoma removal, and if your ferret is otherwise
healthy, surgery is always the better option. It should be reserved as
an adjunct to oral prednisone in non-surgical candidates.
Is there an upper limit to prednisone? Technically no, although high
doses for a lng time are often associated with muscle wasting and
excessive deposition of fat (known as pred belly). I have used up to
5mg/lb in cases of lymphoma without horrible side effects, but that is
always a short-term issue, and would not want to try it for a year or
more. If someone is hitting 2 mg/lb/day, I generally strongly suggest
that they look at a surgical option, either nodulectomy, or partial
pancreatectomy.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
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