Hi everyone!
 
I'm posting this message in the FML and Ferret Health.
 
I have a 5 1/2 year old male, Ferry, who is dying from what is probably
many complications, and I want to ask you if there's something we're
missing and should try, or we're being selfish and should let go.
 
He was diagnosed with Insulinoma over a year and a half ago and is
currently taking Pred.  He's gained a lot of weight since then (his
current weight is about 5lbs 11oz), and has been on a diet of ground
chicken mixed with Marshall's dry food.  This mixture has a lot of water
in it so it is very soft (the only way he'll eat it), and so are his
stools.
 
His hind legs are very weak (due probably to the excess weight) so every
time he defecates he gets it all over his rear, which has caused him to
have some sort of "diaper rash".  We're treating this with Neosporin (we
also tried Desitin, but the vet said Neosporin was better) and daily
baths.  The problem with baths is that they keep his skin moist for
longer periods, which doesn't help.
 
He also has cataracts.
 
A couple of weeks ago I found him limp in his bed and he didn't want to
eat/drink anything (the signs were different to when he had had attacks
due to insulinoma before) so we rushed him to the vet's.  The vet said he
could hear fluid in his lungs, so he prescribed some lasix to clear out
the fluid.  Later that day Ferry was eating his food and feeling a lot
better.  The next day he was back to his normal self.
 
Last Saturday we took a car trip from Cleveland to Detroit and back.  The
whole time he and his 2 sisters had enough ventilation and water so they
were comfortable.  When we got back (at around 2:00am) he was doing
alright, but Sunday morning I found him limp again and rushed him again
to the vet.  As per our request, the vet also administered lasix and some
B-12.  The vet said he felt a mass on Ferry's belly and wanted to check
it out, so we had an X-ray scheduled for Monday morning (let me remind
you that Ferry's belly is huge).  The X-ray revealed a mass that seems to
be either growing on his left kidney or right next to it (it is hard to
tell from the X-ray).  The X-ray also showed some bone loss on his hind
legs.
 
Ferry's been having some "jerking" attacks or spasms where he
continuously tries to move is front and back legs even when we're
carrying him.  The doctor mentioned something about possibly being the
result of Calcium leakage (although he couldn't explain from/to where).
I don't know if excess Ca leaking into the nerves is causing more nerve
electrical activity, therefore resulting in muscle movements.
 
The doctor also said that Ferry is having some trouble breathing, ad I
could see this Monday afternoon.  Ferry would (in a couple of occasions
throughout the afternoon) start gasping for air.  He looked very
distressed.  I would grab him and breath over his nose and mouth to push
some air into his lungs.  With this, he would be ok again after a couple
of seconds.
 
Is he suffering?  With the description of all the problems I've given
you, do you think we (the vet and ourselves) are missing something?  We
love him very much and wouldn't want him to leave.  Every time we see how
he enjoys eating his food, and how he loves sleeping in my wife's arms we
think he every single moment he can enjoy these things is worth fighting
for, but when I see him impatient, moving without going anywhere, or
gasping for air it makes me thing that I'm being very selfish.
 
I'd appreciate any help/advice you can give me.
Please reply to my email address ([log in to unmask]).
 
Thank you very much. Sorry for the long post.
 
-Luis
[Posted in FML issue 4231]