From:
"Kim"
Date: 2008-01-20 14:29:13 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Fozzy, 6 yrs old, with insulinoma.
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
My older ferret that I adopted last summer is presenting with serious
insulinoma problems.
Vet visit yesterday revealed a blood glucose of 36.9!
On top of that he has a raging case of ear mites - likely introduced
from another new crew I adopted this fall. Yeah, I know - the results
of ferret math.
Fozzy is now on .15 ml of Prednislone orally every 12 hours. He is
eating a soup mixture very well either from a syringe, or on his own.
I also have given him some pedialyte mixed with water at regular
intervals. Today his color is MUCH better than yesterday, when at the
vet's.
Vet seemed to feel a lump in pancreas area and said while surgery
could remove it Fozzy wasn't a good candidate. Vet said a CBC and
some other test could CONFIRM insulinoma, but the very low BG in
house test and Fozz's outward signs were pretty good indication of
insulinoma. Vet touched on euthanasia but also suggested a course of
Pred. to see if Fozzy can respond. Start out with a small dose, then
progress if needed to a larger dose.
Vet said should see improvement in 2 to 3 days. Fozz wouldn't get to
100% normal bouncy ferret - but certainly not listless and lethargic.
I am not certain if his head tilt is a result of the ear mites ( or
possibly some side effect of a blood glucose crash vet said 36.9 was
extremely low)- he JUST started that the morning of the vet visit.
BEcaue he tilts his head, he walks in a circle, well doesn't actually
walk - he is very unsteady and topples over. gets up but just topples
over again. I've been offering assistance to him so he can go potty.
He's only had three doses of pred so far, but seems improved except
for the equilibrium thing.
I am medicating and cleaning his ears- which he shows great
disapproval for and can hear"squishy" sounds from his left ear -
which is the side he tilts to; maybe it will eventually drain?
Any ideas are welcome. Keep Fozz in your thoughts and wish him well
to pull through and stick around a little longer.
His bestest buddy Faylene is still doing well, but as a precaution
I'm going to have her BG tested also.
The new batch I adopted are all between 1 and 2 1/2 years old.
As always, any insight is welcome!
Regards, Kim
For any interested I've posted more in depth info at
www.ferretvillage.org -in the Ferret medical thread; don't have time
to retype everything again
I am steeling myself for the worst, but hoping for the best. Fozzy
has been a wonderful addition and a superb cuddlebug! I'd love for
him to get a few more months or even another year!
Regards, Kim
[Moderator's Notes:
Kim, could you put the concentration of the 0.15ml of
Prednisolone? The actual dose needs the mg number,
so calculating from the mg/ml will give that. If that is
1 mg/ml then that is a very low dose.
Kim can give those who write her directly a URL with more
info on Fozz, but it is a sales site and we don't allow sales
sites. Alternatively, since the words are her own she can
select, cut and paste from her comments there to quickly
and very easily move them to the FHL]
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