Margie
 
Insulinoma is not the worst thing that can happen to a ferret -- I
understand the shock from the diagnosis -- God knows I look around and see
my "Baby Misha" and blink twice when I realize he turned three in
January....Time passes by so fast with our babies and we never realize that
our fuzzies are getting older....
 
Let me tell you about Wolfie -- my second ferret.  He was diagnosed with
Insulinoma at age 7 -- we did the surgery (back then they just tried to
remove all the nodes they could see on the pancreas) Wolf went 6 months
without medication.  At age 9, his hair started to fall out -- adrenals.
We did surgery for adrenals and insulinoma for him (left adrenal) and more
nodes.  Again, off medication for 6 months.  Throughout this time, he was a
happy boy, playing with Sasha and Nicodemus and Bruiser and Shadow and
Rascal.  Wolf passed to Rainbow bridge at age 10 1/2.  I was truly blessed
by his company.  And in case anyone is interested, Wolf was a MF ferret.
 
Margie -- whether Marris lives to be 7 or 10, she had the best owner that a
ferret could ask for. Do what you feel is right in her heart for her. If
Marris is healthy, I would do the surgery, but you are the only one that
knows.
 
Tell you there is hope?  Only Marris can do that - by kisses and dooks,
nibbles and sock-stealing.  Good luck to you both.
 
Lisa
[Posted in FML issue 2288]