Thank you for your responses to my questions of cost and signs of
insulinoma.  From most of the responses that I received surgery seemed to
work well for most.  Is the surgery more recommended than medicine?  Has
anyone had a ferret do well on just medicine, for instance if they
weren't a good surgical candidate?
 
My other concern with this illness compared to something such as adrenal
is the idea that they can crash as some put it.  Both my boyfriend and
myself work 40 hours and even though we are with the ferrets in the
evening, they do not have anyone watching over them during the day while
we are at work.  Is a ferret with insulinoma better off with someone that
can be with them most of the time to make sure that they do not crash or
can react quickly if they do?  My impression so far of the illness is
that it is something that would need to be monitored closely and I regret
to say that I don't think our home would be watchful enough to handle a
ferret with insulinoma.  I feel bad for these poor babies that have
problems getting adopted out because of an illness but I would also want
to be sure that our home would be suitable for them before I even
considered adopting one.
 
Of course, this is all mute at this point as I have yet to convince my
boyfriend and mom who sits for us occasionally that we should get another
ferret.  They say the three that we have now are handful enough and I
have been pushing for a puppy so they are about at their wits end with me
and the eventual zoo that I want to have.
 
Angel, Alex and our 3 ferrets (Charlie, Loki, Skyla) and hedgehog Spike
[Posted in FML issue 3904]