>Insulinoma is a terrible disease that can't be cured, only managed or
>slowed down for a time, and that time varies greatly from ferret to
>ferret.

When my Sammy developed insulinoma we tried a nodulectomy (removing
the visible nodules from the pancreas). This had little or no effect.
We managed his disease for a year with prednisone and regular feedings
but it eventually grew worse. Then we tried a second surgery, a partial
pancreatectomy. The vet removed about 1/3 of his pancreas where the
nodules seemed most concentrated. Sammy was about 6 years old at the
time. The result was miraculous. Sammy's blood glucose returned to
normal and he remained symptom free for the remainder of his life
without any medication. He died 15 months later of unrelated causes
without his insulinoma ever returning. That's 27 months after his
insulinoma first appeared. Perhaps the disease would have returned if
Sammy had lived longer, but in effect, for the remainder of his life,
he was cured.

I understand most ferrets will not react so well and for some ferrets
surgery is not an option, but it sure worked for Sammy.

--
John Rosloot, Caregiver to Pandora and Tommy
With loving memories of my Big Buster Boy
my dear departed Buddy,
my precious little Cassie-angel,
and my Silly Snuggly Sammy
http://www2.cs.uregina.ca/~rosloot/ferrets
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[Posted in FML 5494]