Insulinoma which has not been corrected by surgery requires constant
adjustment of the medications used as time goes on.
 
The medications used are Prednisone or Prednisolone, with Prednisolone
working better for some because it skips the liver processing step that
Prednisone requires.  Ferrets tolerate very high levels of these meds.
Be sure to right now read:
 
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922
&messageid=6364&startid=6378
 
which includes
 
>I will even go as high 5 mg/kg three times a day when needed.  Now that
>you have added proglycem, you may be able to reduce the amount of pred
>he is getting.  Then adjust upwards as needed to control his glucose and
>clinical signs.  Remember ferrets tolerate pred rather well.
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM
 
and
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=YG6480
 
When trying Diazoxide (Proglycem) remember that how well it works varies
among ferrets so first buy a small amount from a compounding pharmacy
which helps ferrets to know how useful it will be for your individual.
Mnay of these pharmacies ship.  We use Belvidiere (I never can spell
that.) in NJ; others use other also very reputable ones:
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/ReferenceShelf/comp_pharm.html
 
When both meds are topped out in dosing, and control is lost again then
add dietary sugar.  The addition at that point sometimes can give as long
as a few months of quality life when used along with the meds.
 
There is a lot of info out there on insulinoma.  Go to
http://www.ferretcongress.org
and follow a number of the links in Crit. Refs. there in the menu on
your left.
 
Also, be sure to look up info at
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
 
Claws: go to the sonic-weasel addy in the line above.  search under
CLAWS, PAWS, TOENAILS, DEMODEX (Hope I am spelling that right), SARCOP...
(Partial word and Iknow I'm not spelling it right), MITES, DERMAL,
LYMPHOMA/LYMPHOSARCOMA and LITTER.  Off hand, I think I might recall
similar descriptions from something as high as 4 possible causes, all
with differing approaches, but it's been a while since I've read any
of those posts so you need to check.
 
BTW, the hormonal questions I posed in relation to cannabis and the
problems the surgeon had to correct in young males should be expected to
vary in liklihood among individuals -- perhaps even widely vary -- since
individuals vary so greatly.  Still, given how strongly ferrets often
respond to estrogen level increases it might be a consideration to keep
in mind as a counter-indication for exposure.
 
Sukie
I am not a vet
[Posted in FML issue 4311]