From:
"wulfhund"
Date: 2011-04-19 05:11:34 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Ferret crashes 1 month after Deslorelin implant; questions about Addisons
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
We gave one of our ferrets a Deslorelin implant a month ago. This week she =
began displaying hind end weakness. I tried giving 0.2ml of 15mg/5ml predni=
silone, which had no effect. We took her for a blood test and her glucose w=
as at 40. The vet said that she must have had insulinoma prior to the impla=
nt, and the adrenal disease was masking it.
So she gave us fluids and dex, and told us to give high doses of pred. This=
did nothing. We had to put the ferret to sleep that night because she got =
so bad.
I am wondering if an Addisonian ferret would have at least perked up a litt=
le on pred. I realize that you also have to give other drugs, but if that a=
lone would have at least perked up an Addisonian ferret.
She had gotten ample food in her, as well as meds, after we brough her home=
from the vet, for 2 days after. I realize on the FML I wrote she had to be=
put to sleep that night, but I was tired and she actually was put to sleep=
on Saturday night. So we brought her home and gave her 0.4ml of pred when =
we got home from the vet, as well as sugars (karo, honey), with no effect. =
The vet said to increase the pred, so we did, ending up at near 0.8ml every=
12 hours (but this was spaced out in between feedings). We we were giving =
fluids and I also used a feeding tube to give her her medicine mixed with h=
er prednisilone at a high dose as per the vet's instructions, at one point =
when she no longer would open her mouth or eat. We saw no improvement. Not =
even with any sugars or honey or karo syrup.
I am basically kicking myself because I am the one who decided she should g=
et a Des implant. Then, I didn't even think of Addisons until after we put =
her to sleep at emergency. She was so weak the anesthesia is what killed he=
r, not the shot. I have no experience with a truly Addisonian ferret. We di=
d have a ferret that only had one adrenal removed, and she crashed much the=
same way =96 she got very dehydrated and stopped moving around, and when w=
e brought her to the vet, they said "give her pred". It worked immediately.=
Now, she no longer needs any pred at all. I don't know what to call that, =
but yeah =96 I am confused, and hurting about this.
This is the 2nd ferret I have gotten a Deslorelin implant in. Is it possibl=
e for them to get Addisons on a Des implant? Her hair was certainly regrowi=
ng already, she had not a naked spot on her anymore. We just noticed she w=
as less active as the the month went on and she was eating a little less an=
d less, and then the hind end weakness started.
I have read that with surgery a ferret will get Addisons within a few days =
- but implants, I have not read anything that would support this happening.
[I do not know of any reason to suspect an
implant for this. There does not seem to
be any mechanism for the implants to
reduce corticosteroid production. They
work in a way that reduces or prevents
the hyperhormonal problem which is
thoroughly different. There does not seem
to be any reason to kick yourself about the
implant, but in the future never give a
medication without the vet first okaying it.
If the ferret had diabetes that could have
been a fatal move. Best to avoid that error
in the future.
There are multiple causes of sudden death.
A/V Node Block in thought to be induced by
diabetes.
40 is an extreme number so pancreatic
carcinoma or pancreatic lymphoma is a possibility
with a sudden onset that is extreme.
Are you sure the feeding tube was properly placed?
That is not a typical thing to do with a ferret, BTW.
There are other possibilities, but for the Addisons
you are worried about I can't see a mechanism.
For Addisons there are steroids like Prednisolone
given for fluid management, and meds like Percorten
or Fludrocort/Florinef given for electrolyte balance,
but, again, the implant should not alter corticosteroid
production by the adrenals because it does not
have an overall suppressing or atrophying effect on
the adrenals. (A past med, Lysodren, did do that at
times, BTW, and that med is typically avoided these days.
The other ferret who improved temporarily with just
Prednisolone probably did have some temporary
adrenal corticosteroid reduction but not enough of
a reduction of enough of those adrenal products to need
both types of meds needed with Addisons.
-- moderator]
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