From:
"sukiedaviscrandall"
Date: 2010-03-07 20:50:47 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Coco's bald head
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Yes, ferret blood gobbles sugar so if it is sent
out instead of being checked in-house with an
Alphatrek or other appropriate meter on the right
setting then it will look lower than if read immediately,
and how low depends on how long it took before reading.
Ferrets with insulinoma can have surgery, and regularly
-- very regularly -- do, but it will depend on how
extreme the surgery is going to be, and what is wrong
to say whether surgery is less of a good option for any
individual. The drip just includes some sugar and is
begun long enough before surgery. Often when other
things are fixed the insulinoma is also tackled if there
is time within the window of safety. Now, heart problems
can be a different matter but you did not mention any of
those. I personally think it makes sense to do an EKG/ECG
on ferrets with insulinoma before surgery because they
have an increased risk of developing A/V Node Block and
that would preclude surgery.
(As has often been said on the FHL also do blood (Chem
Panel as well as CBC) before any ferret's surgery -- unless an
emergency prevents that -- listen to heart and lungs, and image
the heart in any senior ferret before surgery unless emergency
makes that impossible.)
Most right adrenal growths do NOT need ligation of the Cava.
Some can just be removed cleanly while many others can be
debulked.
Ligation is tricky and for a number it reduces quality of life.
Also they don't know till they get in there and then gently
hold the vein closed if there is already enough collateral
circulation in place to do it safely. If there is not then the
ferret will die because the Cava is a major vein (blood
returns toward heart in veins).
We probably will not try ligation for Morney (at least at this
time) because she has a personal history of having troubles
with surgery (possibly genetic since she has two other large
genetic burdens) and hers arose so extremely quickly that she
is unlikely to have developed sufficient collateral circulation.
In her case we know that her tumor is close to 2 cm so
absolutely huge and it could potentially cause her Cava to fail
(a rapid death). On the other hand, it may not cause that, and
her quality of life is currently active and excellent despite her
having gone almost completely bald in just weeks (and hopefully
the deslorelin will reduce that symptom and others and maybe
help in other ways although the Lupron could not help her
probable adrenal carcinoma). (We may also later try adding a
melatonin implant. That will depend on what happens with her
health and if she then responds well to oral melatonin first rather
than being too suppressed by it. It will also depend on what I
find when I look into melatonin use with carcinoma to see if it
is counter-indicated like it often is with lymphoma, or indicated
as it often is with a number of other hormonal malignancies.)
On a RARE basis a ferret has such a huge tumor that ligation
is needed, but there have certainly been times people think
that their ferrets have had ligation or even more who think that
their ferrets have had complete right adrenal removal but actually
debulking (removal of bulk, literally) done and that becomes
apparent after more questioning. That's a communication problem
usually, either in what is said, or in what is heard, or what is
remembered/desired.
If both adrenals come out completely, or if enough comes out,
or if one comes out while the other is atrophied then there
will not be enough of the adrenal cortical steroids produced
to sustain life and the ferret will become Addisonian, a
rapidly life-threatening condition. In that situation a Percortin
shot every 3 weeks and Prednisolone nightly, OR
Fludrocort/Florinef (either of which can be crushed and given
in oil) and Prednisolone nightly will absolutely be needed to
prevent death. The Percortin combo is the choice if the ferret
also has any digestive problems that could pass the fludrocort
through too quickly to work, ex. IBD. Either med combination
is typically life long unless there is slow regrowth of enough of
the right portion of the adrenal cortex in high enough amounts
to make the steroids needed for bodily cellular electrolytic balance
and for hydration. While adjusting the meds, a tiny bit of added
salt in the diet helps. (BTW, some ferrets who have had debulking
(a common R adrenal surgery) done later regrow tissue that
produces the too large amounts of hormones, but does not
produce the cortical steroids so they can wind up on adrenal
meds and meds to prevent Addisons Crises at the same time.
If a ferret who needs those meds is under physical strain,
becomes more active, or gains weight then the amounts
needed of fludrocort and or prednisolone can often increase
and must be met to avoid death from collapsing due to Addisons.
It's actually not a hard maintenance to do usually once a person
gets the hang of it, though some rare ferrets have needed
medication substitutions (for example, dex instead of pred).
Remember that to be split safely the fludrocort/Florinef needs
to be one with a splitting line down the middle. In meds without
such a line the ingredients have not been carefully mixes to
have even distribution. We find the cheaper generic(fludrocort)
works as well the brand name (Florinef).
These meds can be given without problems for years and years
and years.
Hope that helps.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
HAPPY: http://www.6footsix.com/my_weblog/2010/01/high-fives-for-happiness.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/