suddenly I find myself talkative...
 
From:    Marie Schatz <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: vet referral in MI
 
>Well it looks like Giesela may have adrenal; she has a bald spot a bit
>bigger than a quarter on her back, up a bit from her tail.  This >doesn't
>sound like the classic hair lost pattern but I've read here >that it
>doesn't have to be classic hair loss to be adrenal.  Any other >ideas?  Her
>vulva isn't swollen, she may be sleeping a bit more, her >hair all over
>seems to have thinned over the years and its really >short.  She just
>turned 5 I think.  My nephew got her from a pet store >here in MI.  I
>believe she's originally from a Canadian farm judging >from the shaky x
>tatoo in her ear.
 
Giesela's symptoms sound exactly like Amelia's in December, and at the same
age too-- Amelia also happens to be Canadian (she's got an x in one ear for
being female, and an H in the other for being from Hagen).  An ultrasound
revealed that Amelia did indeed have an enlarged adrenal, so I would get
it checked out (sorry I can't help with finding vets in Michigan).  Those
Canadians are tough little girls though-- the day after her surgery Amelia
was rattling the bars of the cage like she'd never heard of the word
recuperate.
 
>From:    liz <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: pred question and inactivity
>I am in need of your opinions and experiences RE: the max amount of
>prednisone given before one starts the proglycem.  I have read that the
>maximum beneficial dosage is 2 mg/kg twice a day before starting
>proglycem. With my pediapred being l ml = 1 mg, that means I can safely
>give Fang two ml.  twice a day.....BUT those of you I have tried to
>directly learn from (God bless you) believe that even ONE ml. twice a day
>is a lot, and have told me that most people don't >give their babies that
>much!
 
I am not a vet and do not claim any kind of medical expertise.  However,
I do have an insulinomic ferret on pediapred, so I have read up on it,
including Hillyer and Quesenberry's textbook chapter on insulinoma.  Your
vet and Dr. Weiss are right, according to H&Q-- they say the starting
dosage for pediapred is 2.5 ml every 12 hours, and I don't _think_ they
give a per weight qualification to that dosage.  Again, don't take my word
for it-- read the medical texts, and ask your vet about your concerns.  I
would also check with your vet about Fang's weight-- ferrets with
insulinoma can get enlarged spleens, and that can make them look overweight
when really they aren't at all.
 
Once Cully started his 2.5 ml of pediapred twice per day, I noticed an
immediate behavior change.  He is more mellow and relaxed, yet he is more
active, and much more interactive.  He also had adrenal surgery at the same
time as when he started the pediapred, so of course that's a factor too,
but his level of activity has maintained itself throughout the course of
his pediapred treatments.  He's most active when he sees me pick up the
pediapred bottle, since he loves the taste of it ;-)
 
Shedding-- I can't remember who asked about shedding, but once my ferrets
hit their peak of shedding, I give them a good, thorough bath, with a
massage to get the loose fur out.  I bathe my ferrets in the shower, so
that helps carry away the loose hair.  Then I towel dry them vigorously
(boy do they love that!).  Usually doing this once takes care of the
worst of it.
 
Kibble observation: I've been feeding my bugs a mix of Totally Ferret for
Older Ferrets and Iams Kitten.  With the recent changes in Iams, I read a
label more carefully, and noticed sorghum in the first few ingredients.  I
know of sorghum as a source for sugar, so I decided that Iams would be a
bad thing for an insulinomic ferret to be eating (feel free to educate me
on this point if I'm wrong), and have been feeding them only the Totally
Ferret for the last three weeks.  I have to say, there's a visible
difference!  Their coats are fluffier, they eat less, and they poop less
(and less stinkily).  I very much understand the importance of making sure
your ferrets will eat different foods, so I intend to slip them various
other foods every now and then, but I am really impressed by the difference
since they've been eating only TF.  Kudos to Performance Foods!
 
Regina
 
Regina Harrison  [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/1083
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/8096
 
         This city is an ogre squatting by the river
         It gives life but it takes it away, my youth
       There comes a time when you just cannot deliver
         This is a fact. This is a stone cold truth.
[Posted in FML issue 3053]