Okay, here's the situation.  I live in North Dakota where the Vets are big
into large animals like cows and horses, but when it comes to small animals
such as dog and cats, much less ferrets...well, you can only imagine the
response to my ferret questions.
 
So, Einstein is "diagnosed" with insulinoma in April of 1996.  He is put on
prednisone (loses the hair on his tail and a small portion of his back) and
NutriCal.  After about a year Einstein no longer wants to take the
prednisone and I give up fighting him to take it.  His hair grows back and
he is doing pretty good - much more himself, playful and such.  I still give
him NutriCal three to four times a day, but lately he has gotten worse
again.  He paws at his mouth.  He drags his hind legs.  He seems to forget
to eat and drink.  He doesn't always use the litter box and often just
urinates and deficates where he is laying.  He is often in almost a comatose
state and is foaming at the mouth.  He wretches his body in strange
positions as when I take him out of his cage his head rotates and swings
back and it is difficult to move it forward.  (Nice run-on sentence, sorry.)
He rarely uses his hammock anymore as he sleeps on the bottom of his cage.
I have put a towel in there with him so that he can atleast be a little
comfortable on the floor of the cage.
 
I am at my wits end and don't know what to do.  He was exrayed about a year
ago and nothing was found.  His belly is huge and when I feel it for tumors
he squeels softly as if in pain.  Please help.  What can you tell me about
Einstein's condition?  What is it and how can I make him well again?
 
Hope you can help.
Laura Beth :(
[Posted in FML issue 2180]