Regarding what Alicia has said, I too have had experience with
Insulinoma in ferrets. I think the issue is that usually if they have
cancer in one place, by the time it is noticeable, they have cancer
elsewhere. What I mean by that is that I have noticed with the few
Insulinomac ferrets that they usually have adrenal as well. Some start
with adrenal first, or after. The one thing I have found that works
well is a combination of melatonin and feeding duck soup about every
four hours. I have found that with the feedings and melatonin they
can live for two years or more and happy and comfortable with few if
any crashes. Does this make it easy for people that work, no. I have
to go home everyday for lunch without fail.

To me, if the ferret has any cancer, the melatonin seems to help. They
are doing research that shows melatonin does help with certain types
of cancer in humans. The only type it does not seem to help with is
lymphoma. I disagree though that pills are as effective as liquid
melatonin though. That may be because the liquid is in a suspension
so you are getting an accurate does every time. The only thing is
that it is much more expensive to do liquid since there is only two
manufactures of liquid and the other one uses sugar which is definitely
a no no. So that leaves me with Source Natural Orange Subliminal. You
can get it down to about ten dollars a bottle which with one cc or
dropperful a day lasts a month per ferret. I don't like the implant
as much because it is not as controlled nor can you up the dosage if
needed.

The bottom line is that with diet and melatonin, I have been able to
get the same results as most surgeries and in most cases do not have to
use prednisone till later in the disease, if at all. Although surgery
may be curative if caught early enough, most of us does catch it that
early. Usually we discover it when the ferret is showing symptoms and
that is too late. Yes, if we are lucky and when we take our ferret in
for a normal vet visit and they discover that their blood glucose is
running on the lower side we can opt for surgery and it may be
curative. Most of us are not that lucky. Surgery is expensive, but that
is not the issue for me. The issue is that is does put a lot of stress
on our babies, and if I can get the same results without doing it, I
will. Especially since in my experience, insulinoma does not usually
show up till they are four plus years old. This is just my experience,
and in no shape or form am I saying that my answer works for everyone.
It is just my two cents.

[Posted in FML 5760]