Adrenal treatments can be completely safely given to most ferrets with
insulinoma.
Where things can get tricky is that a small minority -- about 5% -- of
ferrets with adrenal growths also have the cortisol overproduced. In
that case, treating the adrenal disease will allow the insulinoma to
show itself more -- and that is treating it in general, not in just any
one way, though some approaches are more effective and therefore can
have more effect in this way, too. If the insulinoma is severe then
that is a strong concern to discuss with your veterinarian, but if it
is not then medications for the insulinoma can be adjusted so you and
your vet simply have to take into account that this does happen, but
rarely and be prepared just in case. Again, remember that about 95% of
the ferrets with insulinoma and adrenal disease do NOT over-produce
cortisol.
This is also why those meds can help some ferrets who have diabetes.
There are also considerations that are taken into account for surgery,
including special ones when insulinoma is already present, as well as
special Addisons concerns and meds for the minority of ferrets who have
an atrophied adrenal and have the other removed or loss both
completely, etc.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/http://ferrethealth.org/archive/http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.htmlhttp://www.miamiferret.org/http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/http://www.ferretcongress.org/http://www.trifl.org/index.shtmlhttp://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
[Posted in FML 7097]
