Hi to all,
 
I can't believe what is going on NOW with Fang!  Nothing this last year has
been normal for this little guy of mine!  Following his insulinoma surgery
a year ago, Fang went into diabetes for two months, followed by a period of
normalcy, then back to a low BG of 45 a month ago.  Even back on pred, we
couldn't get it up past 50.  So, in he went for a nodulectomy, only to
discover the tumor on his liver that is inoperable.
 
Vet gave him one month to live (three weeks ago).  A bit of adrenal disease
on the remaining adrenal, but not as in bad condition as his liver.  (Vet
didn't think his prostate was swollen enough to cause problems with
urination, but I saw some frantic unproductive trips to the litter box.
Had some crying while whizzing, so I was sure that his prostate was causing
the problem.) Started him on Casodex for a relatively quick fix.  Then, Dr.
Williams alerted me to the fact that it could just be due to increased hind
leg weakness, hurting him to hold himself up during whizzing.  I think that
was the main problem, and not a swollen prostate.  That explained the times
he had urine on his groin area (and sometimes his legs, poor thing; he
was so grateful to have me clean him afterward), and the fact that he is
carrying obese fat pouches in his *unit area* (from the pred) contributed
to difficulty holding himself up, I'm sure.
 
I went back in for another BG test yesterday, and found out it was high
again; up to 200!  Must have been the pred, but this surprised me due to
the fact that last year the pred didn't elevate for it for five months;
then whammo; the diabetes last summer!  Now I am excited to wean him off
the pred (again) with hope that he can lose some of that extra fat, and
have an easier time holding himself up when whizzing.
 
Dr. Williams, it it safe to wean him from the pred with all the rest going
one inside of him?  Will it be okay for his liver tumor to withdraw from
the pred?  Is the pred only to regulate blood sugar in this case?  Troy
Lynn had mentioned that she gives her terminal babies one ml.  or pred
twice a day, which I have been doing since I was told he only had a month
to live.  But I can't let him go around with a BG of 200!
 
We took him off he Devils Club, also, as that elevates blood sugar.  I
really think it helped with the insulinoma, for those of you who are
considering trying it!  I had my doubts, before, but after a month of
administering it, maybe it started working.  I don't know.  Nothing here
has followed any normal pattern.  Few ferrets swing from insulinoma to
diabetes, back to insulinoma, and then back up again.  The poor little
guy would be dead by now, if it wasn't for the close scrutiny he gets
around here.  This has been a real roller coaster ride here: He's up,
he's down, he's all around.  As long as he's still around at all, is all
that matters to me!
 
Am also doing the essiac, (thanks to sweet Jackie of the FML).  Nothing to
lose, I figure.  It's suppose to shrink tumors in some cases.  And I REALLY
believe in the milk thistle for the liver!!  Anyone with liver problems,
please consider using this!  Three drops twice a day, and buy the
nonalcoholic.  Without that I think he would have been at the Bridge a
long time ago.  My vet definitely believes in milk thistle, and I know a
lot of medical doctors that do also.  The rest,.... I'm sort of grasping
at straws.
 
Don't know how much time he has left.  I just wanted to share this
experience with you in case it helps somebody out there.
 
Happy for today, and sending our love,
lizzi and little Fang
[Posted in FML issue 3294]