Sabine has developed diabetes and I need advice from anyone who has had a
ferret with this problem before.  I gather it is an unusual disease for
them.  Sabine had surgery a few months ago for insulinoma and adrenal
disease.  A large insulinoma was removed and she was put on pred.  Is it
possible that her being given too much pred by a well-meaning care taker
could have caused her pancreas to react in the other direction?
 
But that's not my question.  I can't find out enough about how to balance
her diet and her insulin.  She takes 2 units of lente (Humulin U) twice a
day.  All I can get into her is Ensure for diabetics and a Totally Ferret
soup, plus water.  The glucose and ketones in her urine are reduced to
negative by the insulin, but she seems to go into a diabetic coma or an
extremely sound sleep at least once a day.  She is 1.6 lbs, down from 2.1.
Any advice on maintaining a balance?  Less insulin more often?  How much
food how often?  It's darned hard to count carbs for a ferret.  My niece
has juvenile diabetes, so I understand the principles, but I don't know
how to apply them to Sabine.
 
Last night she was unresponsive for so long I sobbed and gave up.  I held
her on my chest until 5am, then invited Eloise, her life-long friend, to
join her if she wanted.  Eloise crawled into Sabine's sleep sack, washed
her, and curled up around her.  I left them in Sabine's sick cage and went
off to bed for a few hours.  When I got up expecting Sabine to be gone,
they both looked at me alertly.  I'm emotionally tired, but that's okay.
My real fear is that she can't go through this for too long.
 
I was told that Michelle Tonkin of Philly Ferrets had/has a ferret with
diabetes.  Can anyone give me her e-mail address?
 
Blessings
Judith
[Posted in FML issue 2974]