[Sukie Note: Dr. Murray had the sort of typo we all make: in the first
sentence read "lymphoma" instead of "insulinoma" for it to fit his
subject line and content.]
 
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?
GID=1423922&messageid=11867
 
There are basically 3 treatment options for ferrets with insulinoma.
1) is chemotherapy. This is usually a multiple drug therapy with
   L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide; and pred; or vincristine,
   cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, L-asparaginase, and pred;
   or vincristine, L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin,
   and pred;
   or L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and pred.
 
   There is also a chemo therapy using oral and SQ injections that
   Tufts University is working with that uses pred, L-asparaginase,
   cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, methotrexate, chlorabucil, and
   procarabazine.
 
2) less aggresive chemo with pediapred and cyclophosphamide (cytoxan).
   Both of these are giving orally!!
3) palliative treatment with just oral pediapred.
 
In addition a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diet helps (baby
food, Hill's a/d, Pretty Pets Natural Gold for Ferrets,etc.)  Lymphoma
uses simple sugars to grow, thus a low carbohydrate diet helps "starve
the cancer." Fish oil supplements also help.  Antioxidants like vit E
and melatonin may also help.  Unfortunately lymphoma is usually a fatal
disease regardless of what treatment option is used.
 
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4730]