From:
"zodanga1"
Date: 2011-10-09 14:24:08 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Insulinoma & Activity
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi,
You didn't mention the time frame of play in relation to when the last dose of Pred. was given, nor the Pred. dose vs ferret weight and how often given. Pred. seems to only stay effective for more or less 8 hrs. For some reason many vets prescribe it only 2x a day which is too far apart. We split the dose to provide 3x a day - first thing in morning, as soon as come home from work, and around 10 pm. (for example, with one of ferries, our vet prescribed a total of .50 a day, which we split into 3 doses of .17). We have been doing this for many years and it does seem to work to flatten out the time that dosages become less effective shortly before being due again. Of course over the ensuing weeks and months you will probably have to start slowly raising the Pred. dose as the ferries bodies get used to it over time, thereby lessening it's effectiveness.
I agree with you on activity (and stimulation) often causing blood sugar levels to drop. Even taking our insulinoma carpet sharks to a different part of the house, or outside, to explore will often be too much for them (not even playing - just exploring) and they will start to show signs of low blood sugar. If you catch it quick then usually 1/2 of 1 meat based sweet treat (such as Marshall's Bandits) followed right away with a lid full of Gerber 2nd stage Chicken or Turkey baby food will take care of things. Of course if the ferrie is beyond just a minor drop in blood sugar then other treatments and perhaps a vet visit would be more appropriate.
I'm not a vet, or medical person, just a ferret owner sharing my personal experiences. Please research the issue further and draw your own conclusions on what is best for your ferrie. Good luck.
[I would suggest that if a ferret is showing signs of insulinoma after some of the minor activities you described, then the pred dose is not sufficient to effectively manage the insulinoma and may need to be adjusted with vet guidance. I have never had an insulinomic ferret on pred display low BG after normal activity unless we were in the process of determining the optimal level of pred to give.
Honey or Karo (corn syrup) or maple syrup rubbed into the gums following an insulinomic episode is far more quickly and efficiently absorbed than a Bandits treat, and less likely to cause choking in a ferret with extremely low BG, who may have trouble swallowing. Following with a high protein meal i.e., Chicken/Turkey baby for or A/D as you noted, is important to stabilize the BG following an episode. - Moderator (TD)].
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