Although I have other thank you's I need to post about regarding ADV and
those that mentioned it on the FML, as well as some condolences to offer,
this is a very special "thank you" to Bob, Carla, Gaoth and Lisa Leidig.
 
I have posted many times, both on the FML, FAIML, apf & Ferret Boards about
Shania's story.  I called her my "miracle insulinomic girl".
 
I adopted Shania 4+ years ago from the GCFA shelter.  She was a severe
biter and, although she was a stunning sterling silver ferret, no one
wanted her.  I was looking for a friend for my first ferret, Ryker, since
he was not at all impressed with the two little girls I got from the pet
store to be his friends.  For Ryker and Shania, it was love at first sight.
Shania instantly became the "house mother".  She took each new fur kid
under her wing, until she was sure they could fend for themselves.
 
In early summer of 1998, Shania began showing symptoms of insulinoma.  She
quit eating and mostly just slept.  I hand fed her Hills a/d several times
a day, but her glucose continued to drop.  She had surgery in early July of
1998, and very nearly died from a post-surgical respiratory infection.  My
vet said she would not live another year.  Shania never got better after
surgery.  She still never ate on her own, she slept most of the time and
was on increasingly high doses of pediapred.  She developed a pred belly,
coarse fur, itchy skin and was very lethargic.  Both Carla and Lisa helped
me immeasurably during these months, both online and on the telephone.  It
was my first experience with insulinoma.
 
In late 1998 or early 1999, Bob C posted his chicken gravy recipe on the
FML.  Carla made it and started feeding her Gaoth with it, who was also
insulinomic.  Within 2 weeks, Gaoth's glucose level increased dramatically.
Carla was thrilled and, of course, I had to try it for Shania.  Within only
a few days, I noticed an increase in Shania's energy level.  After a week
or so, I began to gradually reduce her pediapred dose.  After 2 weeks, at
1/2 her previous dose of pred, Shania's glucose was up in the 90's.  It had
never gotten up to 70, even right after her surgery.  Over the next weeks,
I was able to wean her completely off all medication.  Her "ferret" energy
came back and she began eating kibble on her own again.  I never thought
the sound of "crunch" would be music to my ears.  The first time I saw her
wrestling with one of her friends on the couch, I sat down and cried.  I
guess sometimes you really don't realize how bad off a ferret can be when
they decline gradually.  I now believe Shania had early symptoms of
insulinoma when I adopted her.  When I finally saw the "real" Shania, I
vowed never to let her get back to the way she was.  I decided that, in
her case, quality of life would be my only criteria.
 
While I was at Ferrets 2000, Shania began missing the litter box in her
cage.  I just thought she was "upset" with me for leaving.  She played
and ate normally after I got back, with only one "accident" in the cage.
(Shania is one of those rare ferrets with a 100% litter box hit rate both
in and out of the cage).  I did notice, she went back in the cage to sleep
just a bit earlier than before.
 
Last night, Shania played very normally for an hour or so.  Then she began
to "stagger" when she walked.  She walked sideways.  She fell down, with
her back legs splayed behind her.  I gave her more gravy and she even ate
some kibble, but it didn't help.  I put her in a sweatshirt in the bathroom
and she lay there but kept her head up instead of curling up to sleep.  Her
head began to have tremors and she just stared.  Her legs began to twitch.
I knew these were neurological symptoms and I knew they could be attributed
to the insulinoma, but Shania had never had them before, even when her
glucose dropped to the 30's right before her surgery.  I called the vet and
she met me at the clinic for an emergency visit.  Shania was pretty much
"out of it" by then...just lying (or rather "lolling") in my lap.  Shania's
glucose was low...about 46, but it had been much lower in the past.  Dr.
Etsinger and I discussed the various options, as well as the possibility
that Shania could have ADV, since some of my other ferrets have it, and
neurological symptoms also can be attributed to ADV.  My vet didn't feel
Shania would make it through another surgery due to her previous reaction
and, although strongly tempted to put Shania on pred again to "keep her
with me a while longer", in my heart I knew it wasn't what was best for
Shania...only for me.  It had always been my "plan" that when Shania's
quality of life was gone, I would let her go.  As many of you know, the
best plans are not always very easy to actually carry out, yet I knew in
my heart that, if we pulled her out of this episode, it would only be to
make her go through them again and again.  I had promised myself, and
Shania, that I would not do that, no matter how much it hurt.
 
We helped Shania to the bridge at 10:00 last night.  It was one of the
hardest things I've ever done because I felt we probably could have bought
her more time, although it would not have been the quality time she'd had.
Shania lived 26 months after surgery and 19 months pred free, thanks to
Bob, Carla, Gaoth and Lisa.  You may not believe this, but I "felt" Gaoth
calling Shania...saying "Don't be afraid...I'm here!  We'll finally get
to meet and play together...we've already been "friends" for such a long
time."
 
Judy
[Posted in FML issue 3185]