Julie, your Feb 1 post about insulinoma and testing BG levels
was outstanding, and will hopefully give many people a clearer
understanding of this disease and the NEED to test for it regularly.
I knew nothing about insulinoma before getting a crash course in it
with Neo, and by the time I figured out what was going on, he was
already well into the disease. A simple and inexpensive periodic BG
test at the vet could have caught it so much earlier and probably
prolonged his life.

Insulinoma progresses at widely varying rates, and sometimes the
outward signs don't begin to show until the disease is already fairly
advanced. Ferrets can be very stoic creatures, hiding their pain or
discomfort. The only reliable way to detect insulinoma early is with
a BG test, and the earlier you catch it, the less aggressive the
treatment will have to be, and the longer the prognosis for a quality
life.

As far as the seizures associated with insulinoma, they should be able
to be avoided IF the BG levels are being monitored, which in turn tells
us the proper medication levels of either Prednisolone or Diazoxide
to administer. Insulinoma seizures are the body's response when high
levels of insulin in the body cannot find enough sugar in the blood to
attack, so it instead attacks the brain. If we are giving either or
both of these meds and a seizure still occurs, then we are not giving
enough of a dosage. Waiting to find this out after our ferret has a
seizure is a cruel way to function compared to using a simple periodic
BG test to tell us whether we are giving enough medication or not. If
you have not experienced a ferret seizing, then consider yourself
lucky. It is a terrible and heartbreaking sight, and a very disturbing
way for them to pass on. This can *usually* be avoided by conscientious
monitoring of insulinoma via BOTH testing of the BG levels and closely
observing their behavior, energy levels, and other outward signs.

Jeff Rosenberg
In memory of Neo

http://www.in-memory-of-pets.com/personaltribute.php?ID=64276

[Posted in FML 5508]