We gave one of our ferrets a Deslorelin implant a month ago. This
week she began displaying hind end weakness. We took her for a blood
test and her glucose was at 40. The vet said that she must have had
insulinoma prior to the implant, and the adrenal disease was masking it.

So she gave us fluids and dex, and told us to give high doses of pred.
This did *nothing*. We had to put the ferret to sleep that night
because she got so bad.

*I am wondering if an Addisonian ferret would have at least perked up a
little on pred.* I realize that you also have to give other drugs, but
if that alone would have at least perked up an Addisonian ferret. She
had gotten ample food in her, as well as meds, because we were giving
fluids and I also used a feeding tube to give her her medicine mixed
with her prednisilone at a high dose as per the vet's instructions. We
saw no improvement. Not even with any sugars or honey or karo syrup.

I am basically kicking myself because I am the one who decided she
should get a Des implant. Then, I didn't even *think* of Addisons
until *after* we put her to sleep. I have no experience with a truly
Addisonian ferret. We did have a ferret that only had one adrenal
removed, and she crashed much the same way -- she got very dehydrated
and stopped moving around, and when we brought her to the vet, they
said "give her pred". It worked immediately. Now, she no longer needs
any pred at all. I don't know what to call that, but yeah -- I am
confused, and hurting about this.

L

[Posted in FML 7037]