From:
"merylfaulkner"
Date: 2010-04-06 19:31:50 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Foster - post surgical diabetes - any feedback on treatment/prognosis?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
In message FHL11178 I described how Foster (5y old ferret)had ultrasound then surgery because of low bg from pancreatic tumors. He had surgery on the 23th March, was rechecked a week later and seemed to be doing OK. Post surgery his bg was 85 - but that was late on the day of surgery. I had not thought to recheck the bg since he seemed OK but a bit slow. For the first few days post-op he seemed to be a normal recovering ferret, however I had become increasingly worried about lethargy and lack of appetite. Did not check bg since I assumed behavior was due to surgery, gave occasional torbugesic but it did not seem to do much. I had given him some chicken baby food earlier today - but he only ate about 6 mls, so tried hand feeding him a few beef flavored treats - which he has been taking daily. He took a couple, then bit me so hard I could not retract my hand. I thought this is it!! Off to the vet, and called them about his behavior. They said bring him in. Of course while in
the kennel on the way over he attempted to get out and appeared temporarily OK. However, when he arrived his wt was down a little, and just as I was signing the form for possible treatment, the vet - doing a bg - called out "he's diabetic!". She then said - its probably post op and will improve.
I left him there feeling relieved, but on the drive home remembered she and I had had recently discussed (another client had a ferret with diabetes) how diabetes in ferrets was still difficult to control. I also had a prior ferret (in 2003) who was older(7)and the insulin doses were really tiny. In Foster's case some pancreas was left in place, cannot remember how much tissue was left in the 2003 ferret. However I wondered if anything much has changed in terms of controlling diabetes, and is it possible the remaining pancreatic tissue will rebound?
Meryl
------------------------------------
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/