From:
Ella R
Date: 2010-11-17 06:19:16 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] 6 yr old male with failing liver and possible insulinoma
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi,
My Tocho is about 6 now and has had IBD issues for several months, but no
other problems until recently. Last week he began to sleep a lot, his IBD
got significantly worse, and he was just not acting or looking right. His
eyes had that heavy 'sick' appearance as well.
His stools began to change color, mostly a orange color..which quickly
changed to black, and his urine began to look yellowish/orange. His stool
now is mostly watery/seedy and blackish/green.
When I took him from his cage the morning of his appointment I noticed his
nose was yellow. further inspection.. and I noticed his ears were also
yellow. Once at the vet we realized he was yellow all over, and the vet
noted the yellow in his eyes and mouth.
Liver values were off the charts, as were his kidney values, and his blood
sugar was dangerously low. Potassium etc were also off. I did not get a
copy of the labs, because it seemed the vet had a pretty good idea about
what was going on and she suspected (at first) liver cancer. However, after
two days stay in the clinic with an IV with fluids, electrolytes... he began
to do a bit better, though not willing to eat or drink on his own.
He was given nutrical and A/D while at the clinic, which was continued at
home, though he was fighting it at first.
He was weak and couldn't get around well at all, but I attributed this to
being ill, etc. His first night home he became so limp and weak that I
called the vet. I gave him more nutrical and he seemed to perk up a bit,
though he was still very weak. He's gone in to the clinic daily for fluids
and to be monitored. He steadily seemed to get a little better, and the
yellow/orange cast to his skin etc is nearly gone. However, he's presenting
other symptoms now, even with the improvement.
Yesterday and today he actually began digging at the carrier (trying to get
out) on the way to and from the clinic. This was a big change from when he
first became sick. But today he began behaving oddly. He's been weak, but
today he's stumbling when he walks, very wobbly. Definite hind-end
weakness. He also seems to suddenly not be able to see. He appears a bit
lost, disoriented, almost frantic or anxious, walking along baseboards to
get around and somewhat bumping into things. This is not normal behavior
for him at all.
This evening he took a good bit of the nutrical, and I tried to give him a
little A/D and noticed that his mouth was bleeding. No blood in or on the
nose, thank God. But it worried me, so I called the vet. As I spoke to her
on speaker phone I looked at his mouth and gums and the bleeding had stopped
and his mouth was clean. There was a good amount at first, but not gushing
out. The vet said he most likely bit his tongue. I was giving him nutrical
on my finger, so I'm concerned about how he managed to bite his tongue.
He's getting nutrical every 1-1.5 hours, and A/D as well, but not every
hour. He is taking Milk Thistle, metronidozole, and sucralfate. He is
confined within a smallish space with an animal 'play pen' where he's kept
away from the other kids and on a single level (per dr's orders). I keep a
bowl of water and kibble there for him just in case.
His urine looks much much clearer now, mostly normal. Poop is
blackish/green and sometimes seedy.
Vet is checking his glucose again tomorrow and now suspects insulinoma. She
doesn't want to give him pred because of the liver issues.
I'm just stumped and wondering what we're dealing with exactly and what to
do. Can insulinoma cause liver and kidney issues? What about sudden vision
changes? Insulinoma treatment.. if not Pred, then what? Is all of that
possibly connected issues, or could they just be all going on at once?
My apologies if my email/post is a little scrambled, or if there is missing
information. I'm exhausted and worried. I'm running out of funds and need
to make sure we are on the right track.
Any help at this point would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Ella and the furbabies.. Pixie, Boo Boo, Tocho, Maui, Milo, and Teagan.
--
......................................................
Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her,
still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings. - Victor Hugo
"It's how we treat the humblest among us that surely determines the fate of
our soul." -D. Koontz
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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