Hi
 
>I have a very old ferret, about 8 years old who is now showing signs of
>disease.  It appears to be insulinoma.
 
>I am unwilling to put him through surgery and too much probing.
 
I'm so sorry to hear that your little old man has insulinoma.  I can
certainly understand your wishes to avoid subjecting him to surgery or lots
of other heroic medical efforts.  There comes a time when you know that
these sorts of treatments aren't going to significantly improve the quality
or length of your ferret's life.
 
On the other hand, I honestly would recommend a trip to the vet in your
case to talk about possible drug treatments for insulinoma.  The vet will
probably draw a blood sample to check your little guy's glucose level, and
he will most likely prescribe prednisone, a fairly inexpensive drug.  While
the pred won't cure insulinoma, it will help manage the glucose level so
that your ferret is less likely to experience seizures and other unpleasant
insulinomic symptoms.  In other words, with minimal cost and medical
intervention, you can help to make your buddy's remaining time more
pleasant. : )
 
For a great collection of insulinoma information, visit
http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC/
 
If you need to find a better ferret vet in your area, contact a local
resource to ask for their suggestion.
 
See http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/database.html
 
Best wishes,
Gina Hart/Sage Ferrets
http://www.geocities.com/sageferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3169]