>From:    christine herman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: need Advice/Insulinoma ,wasting,vomiting and biting
 
Hi Christine,
 
I hope you have had other input on Timmy by now, but I thought I would
just offer a few suggestions.
 
If he has low bg, the pred is an affordable medication.  It may take a
week or two for his system and metabolism to adjust, but you should see
improvement.  If he is still acting 'out of it', his pred dose might not
be high enough.  What was his bg reading, and how much pred is he on?
 
One of the biggest things that comes to mind, though, is that he is thin,
poor coat, grinds his teeth, and is 'humped' up.  The 'humped' position
and grinding are indicative of pain, in my experience.
 
Something is definitely 'wrong' with your little guy, and I would suspect
and treat for Helicobacter if he were surrendered to the shelter.  I use
the Amoxi and Biaxin (which isn't cheap, but it works good).
 
The grinding is indicative of some sort of abdominal pain, quite often
stomach ulcers.  I have gotten good results with using Carafate 10
minutes before meals, feeding Gerber Second Stage chicken baby food,
diluted and warmed, (for 30-60 days) and giving the Amoxi and Biaxin
for 14 days.
 
Most of this information can be found on the Ferret Health List, complete
with veterinary recommendations for med strengths and dosages.  Just do
searches on 'helicobacter', 'ulcers' in posts by 'Bruce Williams'.  I
have seen a dramatic difference in one ferret that only was given the
Amoxi and Biaxin...I caught it early enough he had not developed the
ulcers.  I can send before and after pictures if you like.
 
Another 'huge' possibility that comes to my mind, especially with the
extremely thin frame, and the vomiting, is a large hairball (or several).
(hairballs are painful...think of a stomach full of sandpaper) They will
not pass a larger hairball, and can it can actually push into the exit
of the stomach, and cause a complete blockage.  The 'larger' ones will
irritate the stomach until they grind in pain, and will vomit
'blood-tinged' saliva.  Quite often, with a hairball, they will have a
stool that looks like a melted 'Hershey Kiss'.  The hairball can even
'move around' and cause intermittent vomiting, then dislodge allowing
food to pass, which sounds like you have been seeing.  Nothing will 'fix'
a hairball; it must be surgically removed.  (where are you located; my
vet would do the surgery for around $150.00 -I'm near Lima, Ohio))
 
The treatment for helicobacter will not help if it is a hairball.  You
may see improvement, (because they could have helicobacter along with the
hairball) but it will not 'last'.  I generally treat for helicobacter
first, and if it doesn't resolve the problem, I strongly suspect a
hairball.
 
Your vet may even be able to feel something in the stomach area...it
will be 'almost' up under the ribcage -right by their diaphram.  If he
can feel any kind of a mass...I would go straight to surgery before
Timmy gets any weaker.  Just my experience with multiple shelter kids.
I struggled to learn a lot of this, dealing with ferrets I thought I
would loose, before I figured out what was wrong.
 
Let me know if I can help in any way...
Julie
 
=====
Julie Fossa   (419) 225-8383
West Central Ohio Ferret Shelter
 
"Just A Place To Hang Your Hammock
 While You're Looking for A Home!"
[Posted in FML issue 4053]