From:
"Jeff"
Date: 2010-10-07 14:28:29 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Blood Test Results - Aggressive insulinoma and something else
To: "Ferret Health List" <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
I'm wondering if anyone can comment on these blood test results for my ferret Minnie Mouse, age approx. 3-4 years. She has recently been diagnosed with insulinoma, but there's also something else going on, as her lymph nodes are quite enlarged and she's not nearly as energetic as she was up until a few weeks ago. The insulinoma also seems to be progressing rapidly, based on the increasing doses of prednisolone and diazoxide I have to give her to maintain any kind of decent activity level and a decent blood glucose level.
[It might not be insulinoma. Lymphoma can be in the pancreas,
instead. Insulinoma-type symptoms but much more aggressive
happen with lymphoma in the pancreas, while carcinoma in the
pancreas is faster still. Our own experience is that such ferrets
is that dietary sugar helps them somewhat along with using both
meds. Those problems sometimes present by having the ferret
suddenly at death's door before the blood sugar difficulty is
known so you got lucky on that score since the blood glucose is
already being tackled.
-- Moderator (SDC)]
This blood test was taken yesterday (10/6/2010). She's currently getting 2.5 mg of prednisolone daily and 30 mg of diazoxide daily, each divided into 3 doses every 8 hours. These are not overly high doses, but this is the level needed after only 5 weeks of treatment, and I have had to increase the pred dose about every week since diagnosed. I also added the diazoxide 2 weeks ago to try to slow down the increase in the pred doses.
The reference range given below is part of the lab results, but when also comparing to the ranges given on the Miami Ferret site, the ALT, AST, Globulin, and monocytes seem very high. This was a test done approx. 3 hours after food and meds. I will be getting my vet's input late today, but would also appreciate any other thoughts or ideas. This ferret seemed like the picture of health about 6 or 7 weeks ago, very playful and full of energy, but now seems to be regressing fairly rapidly. She was a rescue from the Humane Society last December along with her cagemate Sabrina, who is in late stage insulinoma and doesn't have much time left with me. I'd really hate to also lose Minnie in the near future, especially when I expected her to be around for a long time.
Jeff
In Memory of Neo, Trinity, Possum, Pip, Misty, Frodo, Baggins, and Mr. Parker
Caring for Luna, Morphy, Baby Girl, Dozer, Pop, Sabrina, and Minnie Mouse
Test Result Reference Range Low Normal High
ALK. PHOSPHATASE 1 58 14 - 144 U/L
ALT (SGPT) 1040 U/L
AST (SGOT) 274 46 - 118 U/L HIGH
GGT 2 204 U/L
ALBUMIN 3 3.2 3.4 - 4.8 g/dL LOW
TOTAL PROTEIN 7.5 4.3 - 6.0 g/dL HIGH
GLOBULIN 4.3 0.2 - 2.4 g/dL HIGH
BUN 22 10 - 45 mg/dL
CREATININE 0.3 0.4 - 0.9 mg/dL LOW
CHOLESTEROL 266 96 - 249 mg/dL HIGH
GLUCOSE 107 120 - 144 mg/dL LOW
CALCIUM 9.4 7.6 - 9.6 mg/dL
PHOSPHORUS 7.7 3.2 - 9.5 mg/dL
A/G RATIO 0.7
SMALL MAMMAL PROFILE #1 : CBC COMPREHENSIVE
Test Result Reference Range Low Normal High
WBC 6.8 3.5 - 7.0 THOUS./uL
RBC 10.49 6.7 - 12.1 MILLION/uL
HGB 22.0 12 - 18 g/dL HIGH
HCT 60.1 43 - 55 % HIGH
MCV 57 fL
MCH 21.0 pg
MCHC 36.6 g/dL
NRBC 1 /100 WBC
NEUTROPHIL SEG 74 31 - 57 % HIGH
NEUTROPHIL BANDS 4 %
LYMPHOCYTES 17 22 - 48 % LOW
MONOCYTES 5 0 - 1 % HIGH
EOSINOPHIL 0 0 - 1 %
BASOPHIL 0 0 - 1 %
AUTO PLATELET ADEQUATE THOUS./uL
REMARKS SLIDE REVIEWED MICROSCOPICALLY.NO PARASITES SEENLIPEMIA PRESENTHEMOLYSIS PRESENTPLATELETS APPEAR ADEQUATE.
ABSOLUTE NEUTROPHIL SEG 5032 /uL
ABSOLUTE NEUTROPHIL BAND 272 /uL
ABSOLU
Comments:
1. PANEL PERFORMED ON DILUTED SPECIMEN
2. RESULT VERIFIED BY REPEAT ANALYSIS
3. RESULT VERIFIED BY REPEAT ANALYSIS
TE LYMPHOCYTE 1156 /uL
ABSOLUTE MONOCYTE 340 /uL
ABSOLUTE EOSINOPHIL 0 /uL
ABSOLUTE BASOPHIL 0 /uL
------------------------------------
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