http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL5007
>You have a good question about whether melatonin will cause an
>insulinoma ferret to become a diabetic ferret. Yes, ferrets can go
>from having insulinoma to having diabetes, but no, melatonin should
>not cause that. Some vets worry that melatonin may lower the cortisol
>level and thus lower the glucose level in insulinoma ferrets. That has
>not been my experience with the melatonin implants over the last 6+
>years, and the U of Wisconsin oral melatonin study also reported that
>cortisol levels were nor significantly changed by melatonin.
>
>To update the my old reply that Sukie posted: In ferrets use PZI or
>Glargine insulin. Unfortunately Idexx has decided to stop making PZI
>insulin, so Glargine will soon be the only choice. Still use the 1 to
>3 units 2 times a day for PZI or Glargine insulin.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL3683
>If you are looking for a vet in upstate NY then you might want to go
>to Cornell's vet school (Ithaca, NY, Dr James Morrisey). Likewise the
>vet school in Guelph, Ontario, Canada is another option.
>
>Now for the treatment of Walter there are a few things we need to
>know.
>
>When was the surgery done? Most cases that have an elevated glucose
>level after surgery resolve on their own after 1 to 2 weeks. How high
>was the glucose? If it was <300 then there is not much to worry about.
>Maintain hydration with oral fluids (water bowl) and SQ fluids if he
>gets dehydrated. If it is above 300 then dehydration is more likely
>and oral and SQ fluids may be needed. Insulin is not needed in most
>cases unless the dehydration cannot be solved. If it has been more
>than 2 weeks since the surgery then insulin should be used. PZI or
>Glargine insulin seem to work best in ferrets. Most ferrets require
>high dose of insulin (1 to 3 units, 2 times a day).
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM
>BTW diabetes is very common in cats and dogs, so most small animal ets
>are very knowledgeable about it! Insulinoma is a very rare disease in
>dogs and cats, so some vets that do not work with ferrets are not
>familiar with it.

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG6592
>You have asked some good questions about how to treat your ferret
>with diabetes. I will try to answer them.
>
>1) What type of insulin to use? This is a very good question.
>The short answer is PZI VET insulin from Idexx. NPH is an
>intermediated-acting insulin, and it is the best insulin for dogs.
>Ultralente insulin is a long acting insulin, and it is the second
>choice for cats and ferrets. The PZI VET insulin is a beef insulin
>product that is the first choice for cats and ferrets. Interestingly
>there has been very little work done with ferret insulin. Cat insulin
>is very close to cow insulin. That is why PZI works well in cats. I
>have asked Dr James Fox (the lab vet at MIT) about which insulin is
>closet to ferret insulin, but that research just has not been done.
>However in my experience the PZI VET insulin works best, so perhaps
>ferret insulin is close to cat (and cow) insulin. I would recommend
>starting at 1 Unit/ferret 2 times a day of the PZI VET insulin. PZI
>is a 40 unit per ml (U-40) product, so you will need U-40 syringes.

>2) What diet should I use? The "ideal diet" for diabetic ferrest would
>have a high protein content 50-60%, high fat 30-40%, with a very low
>carbohydrate content only 1-5%, vitamins/minerals/etc. Thus Gerber's
>baby food, Hill's a/d, and the new Pretty Bird ferret food should be
>used as a supplement or as the main diet. Also treats need to be low
>carbohydrate such as cooked meats, cooked eggs, canned
>tuna/chicken/salmon, baby food, a/d. The new Hill's canned m/d or
>Purina canned DM may also be good options.

>3) What about chromium? Chromium or brewer's yeast has insulin like
>activity and can help lower the glucose level. A suggested dose of
>chromium is 20-200 mcg/ day, divided and mixed in with the food.

>4) What about Lupron? If your ferret is showing signs of adrenal gland
>disease then I would recommend Lupron (or surgery when you get the
>glucose regulated). A small percent (~5%) of ferrets with adrenal
>gland disease will overproduce cortisol. Cortisol will elevate the
>glucose level and may cause diabetes.

>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6155]