well, HELLO again from Louisiana.  I just wanted to say that I got the
results on Goo girl from the autopsy done at LSU in September.  Results: not
multifocal hepatitis but the dreaded INSULINOMA!!  There were 2 microscopic
tumors on 2 different cells that were growing on the insulin producing parts
of the pancreas (NOte: there were NO visible lesions on the pancreas).  The
pathologist said that just those could produce enough insulin to kill her.
I take this time to look back and realize that she had been rather lethargic
off and on for about 6 months, but there were no signs of seizures, so I
took that as age.  You know, she was about 5 and with age they tend to sleep
more.  Not until August did I see the first seizure, a small one but
noticable.  Also she began to paw at her mouth ALOT!!  The second seizure
came about 1 week later,only this one was worse.  I woke up to the sound of
her screaming like a baby, I grabbed her and took her to work.  Her mouth
was clinched onto her towel so tight we had to pry her mouth open.  We
administered dexamethasone(cortisone) and rubbed karo syrup on her gums and
gave her an injection of dextrose and some fluids.  She finally came around
about 45 minutes later!  I began giving her .5 cc's of prednisone 2x a day.
But, I noticed the next day that she seemed like she was blind and my boss
said that the seizure was so severe that it could have blinded her.  I took
her home and then about 3 weeks later is when the big one hit!!  I had her
in a pet taxi seperated from the others to recouperate and I awoke to alot
of noise, I looked in the taxi and she was jumping around, foaming at the
mouth and there was blood everywhere!!!!  I called my boss and met him at
the clinic and I decided to let her go to the Rainbow Bridge with all of the
other wonderful fuzzies.  It was so hard to do but seeing her like that was
one of the worst days in my life.  You know, I was hoping that maybe she
would pass quietly in her sleep NOT obviously suffering like she was.
 
WELL, exactly 10 days later I had my oldest male Odie (7yrs) at work for a
day or two to get blood to run some test since he was the oldest, when I got
to work that morning he was lying on his back staring into space.  I picked
him up and he started screaming and screaming so we did the same treatment
as above but this time it did not help.  He would quiet down for about 10
minutes and then start screaming again.  I held him all day and with no
obvious improvement we put him at peace also.  Doc did a necropsy (Note:
there WERE visible lesions on the pancreas) and sent tissue samples to LSU
and the results came back with a finding of endocrine carcinoma.  I never
saw any seizures with Odie, he was just lazy and again I attributed that to
his age.  So I tell you from experience, if you notice your fuzzy to be
tired or lazy it might just help to get a jump on things and take them in
for some bloodwork, just to be on the safe side!!
 
Now, let me catch my breath- whew, only when I thought it couldn't get any
worse Otis became very thin and lethargic in a matter of 2-3 weeks.  WELL, I
had to take him to New Orleans for a right adrenalectomy, he already had the
left removed about 7 months ago!!  When the vet opened him up his spleen was
about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide!!  He did a splenectomy and said that
the spleen is suppossed to be the size of our pinky finger!!  He is doing
fine and wants to be with the others but it's to soon.  He will be on
.04cc's of Pediapred for the rest of his little life but as long as he feels
better thats okay with me!!!
 
Let me just add this, I don't know how it all relates but all of my ferrets
are MF ferrets and I wanted to make a list.  I have had ferrets since 1989
and here they are:
 
    FIGARO (3yrs): died in his sleep, no symptoms, always playful
    ODIE (7yrs): endocrine carcinoma
    EMM  (4yrs): suspected insulinoma and gastric ulcers, also left
         adrenalectomy
    SEBASTIAN (4yrs): huge hairball lodged in intestines, emergency surgery
         but alot of tissue was necrotic so vet suggested euthanasia
     GOO (5yrs): insulinoma
 
All of the above are over the Rainbow Bridge together again!!!
 
     ATIMER (4yrs): alive and well
     RENFIELD (4yrs): left adrenalectomy and removed tumor on head, but
          alive and well
     MOWGLI aka POOPOO (3yrs): alive and well
     SPROCKET (2yrs): alive and well
     OTIS (3+yrs): left and right adrenalectomy and splenectomy
 
Well, if anyone has any questions on these issues feel free to e-mail me at
[log in to unmask]
 
Sorry for the length, I wanted to write as everything was happening but I
just couldn't muster up the energy to do it.  I hope everyone is well and
THANKS for listening!!!
 
                BYE from La.   Lisa
[Posted in FML issue 2105]