I have a problem that I'm sure several ferret owners on this list have
experienced before.  I am writing you from Enid, OK.  I have a ferret,
TALLY.  She's a six-year-old neutered female.
 
She recently became very listless, had sticky saliva, was dehydrated,
hobbled sideways, etc.  I took her to the local vet.  After he did a glucose
test (results: 30 mg/dl glucose level) and poked around her gut.  He found
her spleen swollen three times normal size and a small nodule near her
pancreas.  He diagnosed Tally as having Pancreatic Beta Cell Neoplsia
(insulinoma).  He told me she probably had a few days to six months or so
before the cancer took over her body and killed her.  He gave Tally a
steroid shot, directed me to give her caro syrup twice per day and keep him
posted.  The vet said surgery was a waste of time.
 
I took Tally home and she's seemed to bounce back relatively fine -- for
now.  She sleeps even more than she did before and her appetite is below
normal.
 
I've looked at about all the info I could on the WWW on insulinoma.  I'm
waiting for Dr Bruce Williams and another vet to give me some feedback.
I'll be sure to use the caro syrup sparingly (only when she goes into her
staring spells) and keep her on her high-protein Iam's kitten food and
ferretone.  I'm also taking Tally back to get a full blood profile to see
what else we can find.
 
I've read on the web that vets sometimes confuse pancreatic acinar
hyperplasia with insulinoma.
 
  (1) Based off the information, could this be the case here?
  (2) How does one know the difference between the two disorders?
  (3) Should I get a second opinion?
  (4) Will an ultrasound help determine what's going on inside Tally? My
      vet says it wouldn't determine a whole lot.
  (5) Is surgery (or cheomotherapy) a waste of time and money? I know
      there's a lot of variables, especially dependant on how far the
      cancer has spread.  And I also know that if it is insulinoma,
      there's a strong chance of reoccurance.  But if we can prolong
      Tally's life just a year, it's worth it (as long as her quality of
      life remains good).
 
      I've found the recipe for "duck soup" off the web.  My vet says for
      me to stay away from high-calorie supplements like this because it
      makes the insulin levels higher.  She's not eating her food nearly
      the same amount she use to and I'm concerned she's going to get weak.
  (6) Should I make and give Tally some of this duck soup?
 
Please give me a response. I plan to take action ASAP to make Tally  better.
 
Thanx a whole lot!!! Bobby Petty
[Posted in FML issue 1583]