>Just from having had ferrets decently before folks really knew what to do
>for them: back then we would use sugar and because Fritter had lymphoma we
>also tried Pred.  Neither alone held her, but she got about 9 months with
>the combination.  Maybe they should add dietary sugar available at all
>times to the mix.  We found liquids to the be the easiest way to do that.
>Heck, nine months wasn't bad, esp, since Frit's wasn't found until a day
>that she almost died of sugar drop.  Like nine years for a human.
 
Certainly increasing dietary sugars is one way to try to combat
hypoglycemia.  Today, there are more palatable hi-glucose medications
that we can use - but the theory is sound.
 
Remember that the body has a very effective mechanism for changing protein
fat or starch into glucose - the liver can take almost any compound and
make glucose.  Animals who are eating well naturally do not suffer such
severe abnormalities of glucose as those who are on a poor plane of
nutrition.
 
While we are on the subject of alternative treatments, Mike Dutton of the
Weare Animal Hospital in Weare NH has been working with doxirubricin post
surgically in insulinoma cases to good effect.  You may want to contact
him for more info.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
 
[Sukie's note: also remember that insulinomae are not responsive to
blood glucose levels and that in bad cases normal tissue (which is
responsive in level to blood glucose levels) is often suppressed so
the yo-yoing that might* happen with cases that are earlier is not a
possible problem any longer.
 
*  "might" because it is at least somewhat hypothetical.]
[Posted in FML issue 3769]