Hi fellow ferret lovers,
 
Just wanted to update everyone on Gismo and his adrenal problem.  I took him
in Friday for his surgery.  My vet wanted me to forego the usual "not to
have anything to eat after midnight " instructions in lieu of Gis' blood
glucose level.  Instead, he was not to have anything to eat after 6AM.  When
I picked Gis up Friday afternoon, he looked like a ferret mummy!  They had
put a body wrap on him and he looked as if he were twice as long as his
usual three feet (slight length exaggeration here!).  Anyway, he was very
groggy and I was told that he had been given a pain medication and that
would make him more sleepy than usual.  Upon arriving at home, I immediately
attempted to give him some nourishment for his blood sugar.  He ate almost
1/2 of a 35 cc syringe of food and was ready to be put into his nesting box.
I monitered him every so often and at 11:30PM, I prepared all his
medications and food.  When I went to get him, he was cold and stiff.  His
body temperature had plummeted in just a short time period.  I PANICED!  I
immediately placed him on our waterbed and covered him up, then I grabbed a
couple of towels and threw them in the microwave to heat up.  When they were
heated, I wrapped them around Gis to try and bring up his body temp.  I
called my vet and we made an emergency run to the vet's office.  She checked
him and by this time, his body temp had risen and he was no longer as cold
and he was not stiff.  She wanted to keep him over night and told me I could
pick him up Saturday morning.
 
On the way to pick him up, I decided that I was not going to run the risk
again of him losing body heat, so I made a stop at our local "Walmart" and I
purchased a "lava back support".  This thing is fantastic!  I put it in the
microwave for a couple of minutes and it maintains it's heat for several
hours.  I was very careful not to leave it in the microwave too long so as
to make it too hot for him.  It fits nicely in the bottom of his nesting box
and I covered it with his towel so he now sleeps on a soft mattress like
thing that helps to keep him warm.  (Talk about a little snuggle bug!).
Anyway, I went on to the vet's office to pick up Gis.  While I was waiting
on her to speak with me, I noticed that they had Pet Tinic in stock (I have
been looking for this stuff for months).  When she came out to talk with me,
she advised that he was doing much better.  She removed the body wrap
because she determined that that was causing a lot of the problems he seemed
to be experiencing.  She also wanted me to give him "Pet Tinic".  (Talk
about timing here, I consider this a matter of Divine intervention.  The
Good Lord provided this stuff just when I needed it.).  Gis is home, he
seems to enjoy his new "mattress" and this morning, he was running all over
the house.  I hope he continues to improve, things are looking hopeful at
this time.  By the way, Gis' left adrenal gland was enlarged and had
calcified, since this is my first experience with adrenals, is this usually
what happens?  No additional insulinomas were observed.
 
Thanks for your concern and prayers.
 
Margaret Ann and her babies (and Scott, who allows me to use his address,
even tho' he receives an occasional flame for something I have posted)
[Posted in FML issue 1744]