From:
"Patricia Kaczorowski"
Date: 2007-02-05 02:26:57 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] low glucose/Novasource 2.0 ??
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
Unfortunately, Insulinoma is pretty common in older ferrets.
You can find out a lot about it by searching the links page ,
it is common enough that I think there is some agreement on treatment. I am not a vet, so here is my understanding of it.
Sugar is generally not recommended in the treatment at all, maybe in refractory cases or in emergencies only. The pancreas is riddled with small growths of cells that are producing insulin, this extra insulin is lowering the blood sugar faster than the ferret can keep up with the intake of calories. The more carbohydrates and sugar the ferret takes in does quickly rise the sugar, but this stimulates more insulin in response, then this sugar is quickly used up. The result is then a drastic drop in the sugar again.
However, protein is slower to be broken down into sugar and is a more stable source for the calories.
Getting the ferret on a high protein diet is more important that adding sugar and carbs to the diet.
I would recommend a quality ferret food that is high in meat protein, and supplementing with extra feedings a day with a meat source, like 2nd stage meat baby food, or making your own like Bob Church's chiken gravy, etc. Making sure the ferret doesn't sleep through meals, and getting the extra source of protein in can help stabilize the blood sugar.
If this is an early diagnosis, surgery may play a role now. I personally have had a case of sucess with doing the surgery right away, removing a piece of the pancreas with the larger tumor on it and then monitoring the diet and blood sugars. Eventually other tumors developed and symptoms again, then I started medications ( a year after surgery). Not all will be successful, so meds may be needed even after surgery- depends on how much pancreas is involved since you can not remove it all. Start the medication, and consider surgery.
The medical treatment is prednisone, the steroid helps keep a higher blood sugar. The dose can be adjusted by the ferret's response, I have found it helpful to have a home monitor to check the ferret's blood sugar and get an idea of how low it was going. CHecking whenever the ferret was acting lethargic, or weak , drooling, staring episodes also helped. Or having the vet monitor it periodically.
ANother med is proglycem. it is more expensive and can be used with prednisone in tougher cases. Realize that the medical treatment is not a cure, and it is just to slow the natural progress of the disease.
I would not use any sugary treats, and I would not use the higher calorie human drinks. In tough cases, maybe later on???
I hope that helped a little.
Patty
ps. As far as the treatment of adrenal disease, if the prostate is large, something has to be done to treat the cause of the large prostate besides just directly treating the symptoms. Lupron/melatonin, and surgery are the only options to actually treat what is causing the enlarged prostate, ie. the adrenal gland disease. The casodex is fine adjunct, but nothing is being done in that case to actually address the underlying adrenal disease.
Hi
A Vet (Exotic Specialist) says the blood glucose (not fasted) is low- 69
mg/dl. He never mentions the word Insulnomia. He prescribes a
nutritional drink called Novasource 2.0. Novasource 2.0 has second
ingredient corn syrup and fifth ingredient is sugar. The ferret is to
get 12ml 3 times a day.
Another Vet (Also Small Mammal Specialist- known for his great ferret
knowledge) does not want to use Lupron for an enlarged prostate
secondary to adrenal disease only Casodex. Now this Vet says non fasted
glucose of 73 is suspious of insulinoma- takes some tests that must be
done out of house. Tests come back high insulin low glucose- the ferret
has Insulinoma- needs Pred.
I would like input from anyone having experience with this.
Thanks
Deb
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