>From:    Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Insulinoma
>
>I have a little guy that is 7 years old with insulinoma. He has periods
>from 1 hour to 5 or 6 hours when he is limp and lifeless. We put Karo
>under his lips and after several hours he will come out of it. I have
>tried predsone but he has a reaction. My wife and I give him a teaspoon
>of water with a little Karo about every 5 to 6 hours...

Mike:

PLEASE get your ferret to a ferret-knowledgeable vet immediately. If he
is having reactions to Prenisolone or Prednisone then an alternative is
Diazoxide. It can be expensive, but there are compounding pharmacies
that offer good pricing, and I can provide links for you. I paid $45
for a month's supply.

Please read this article by Dr. Bruce Williams about insulinoma:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/PDF/insulinoma.pdf

You can find a recommended ferret vet near you by doing a search at
this link: http://ferrethealth.org/vets/

Giving Karo syrup to a ferret with insulinoma is a solution only in
extreme cases, such as a seizure. It is NOT a good way to manage
insulinoma, which is a progressive disease. Your guy could be in the
late stages, but he might also still have some quality of life left if
you can manage the insulinoma with meds. At age 7 he's probably not a
good candidate for surgery. When you say that he has a 'reaction' to
Pred, what exactly do you mean???

If he is having seizures then he could also be suffering brain damage
as a result. He really needs to eat as often as possible, with meals 4
or 5 hours apart, in order to keep his blood glucose level as high as
possible. He is probably not eating much because he is so weak from
low blood glucose levels due to the insulinoma. It is a vicious cycle.
If you can get his BG levels up with meds, then you will probably see
him eat more, be more active, and avoid seizures. Instead of kibble,
you may want to try a soup mix of kibble that is ground up in a food
processor, along with some Uncle Jim's Duk Soup Mix, and some
FerretVite and Ferretone mixed in. Add water and heat it slightly
in the microwave. You may need to spoon feed him.

Please get him to a ferret knowledgeable vet ASAP. If you want to email
me privately, feel free.

Good luck.

Jeff
In Memory of Neo
Caring for Trinny, Morphy, and Baby Girl

[Posted in FML 5583]