Message Number: FHL3928 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Leslie Cucino
Date: 2008-02-12 15:30:53 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Late Insulinoma treatment(s)
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

Hello all,

I have a elderly male rescue ferret Kai who is 6 to 6.5 years old.
I've had him a few years and exactly a year ago he had a bilateral
adrenalectomy. Enough adrenal tissue was left so he was able to forgo
the monthly shots. His hair grew back , although very thinly and he
was fine. His doctor did say his pancreas looked seedy and put him
on .15cc of Pedipred twice a day.

About 4 months ago he started going down hill, just being sleepy and
not as active. I took him back to his doctor and asked for
exploratory surgery because his chest was becoming barrel like.

When she opened him up he had insulinoma tumors involving his
stomach, pancreas and small intestine, it was in operable. She closed
him back up as we had previously decided to manage him with
medication until it was obviously time to let him go.

He has ZooPreem and the 45% protein 8 in 1 available at all times. I
also feed all of my ferrets a home made soup made from a whole
chicken, bones and all, with extra added chicken liver and gizzards
ground up and mixed with maybe two cups of Marshalls and all the
water that I boiled the chicken in. I also add Ensure to Kais bowl
for extra energy and calories. Kai loves this soup. His Pediapred was
increased to .30 twice a day.

My question is, is there something I can substitute for the Ensure?
I've noticed that the second ingredient is sugar, the third is corn
syrup, which certainly can't be good for his insulinoma.

He acts fine, just like an old man, he sleeps alot, but he does walk
down all ramps of his Ferret Nation cage to poop in the bottom.
Occasionally he will get up and have the plain soup with the other
ferrets which means he walks down all the levels again and across the
floor. He walks around for a bit, then finds someplace to curl up
and sleep. His eyes are bright, he's never had seizures.

Do I continue giving him the Ensure that he loves, or is there a
substitute?

Thanks,
Leslie



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