THE OPINIONS STATED HEREIN ARE STRICTLY MINE!
 
Bobby, the answer to your question about whether surgery or chemotherapy
is a waste of time is NO NO NO NO NO!
 
My advice to you is to get a second opinion.  Nearly all ferrets that I've
heard of going through their first insulinoma surgery, provided they are
okay on weight and are not suffering from other diseases, have had wonderful
results -- my ferret included.
 
Your vet sounds like he needs to talk to other vets who have performed this
surgery.  Sure, it may seem like a waste of time to him, because the ferret
will eventually die anyway, but is that a good reason for your little Tally
to go through low blood sugar bouts and possible seizures until she dies??
I don't think so.
 
I had a ferret (and yes, eventually he did die of insulinoma) who had his
first surgery July *1992.* He died January *1995.* You do the math.  I know
that Pam Grant has an almost 9 y.o ferret who had surgery almost 3 years ago
(that would have put her at the same age as your Tally).  Do you think Pam's
surgery was a waste of time?
 
If your ferret was suffering from all kinds of ailments I could see not
doing the surgery, but if this is the first time she's been experiencing
symptoms I cannot stress enough the importance of getting a second opinion
on this one.
 
BTW, as far as vets considering surgeries wastes of time, here's one for ya:
I have a 5 1/2 year old ferret who has had bladder stones all of her life (3
surgeries for that).  She went in in October to have bilateral adrenalectomy
done, the vet discovered a huge tumor on her pancreas, *and* she had cardio.
He gave her at the time 4-6 months.  Now he gives her 1-2 *years.*
 
Never give up on your little ones!!
 
Amy & Dave (and their gaggle of giggling ferrets)
RIP Ian and Elektra
[Posted in FML issue 1584]