>The doctor said that she is most likely getting an adrenal tumor because
>of too much cortuzol (sp?) from both the possible adrenal tumor as well
>as the prednisone.  Instead of 0.3 cc's of prednisone twice a day, the
>doctor decreased the dosage to 0.15 cc's twice per day.
 
Hmm - is this Pediapred or a similar concentration?  Because if so, I have
never seen a ferret on this low a dosage of pred have any problems, much
less signs of adrenal disease.  Insulinoma is a more pressing problem,
IMO, and I would probably recommend putting her back on the 0.3 cc's of
pred.  Or even higher if need be, because I suspect that her downswing is
related to the lower dose of pred causing her blood sugar to drop.
 
>She seems really weak, but she has never had any stupor experiences nor
>any seizures.  But her body shakes, and she eats only when I give her
>the predisone mixed with Gerber's baby food, or only when I sit food
>right by her nose.  She is close to 8 years old, and she does not appear
>to act normal, even less normal when she was doing fine the past year
>while taking prednisone.
 
Have you been checking her blood sugar levels regularly?  I find that most
ferrets require increasing doses of pred as the insulinoma progresses, and
she may just need more pred, or possibly proglycem.
 
>I realize that euthanasia may be the better option, but it still does
>not explain why she suddenly took this turn while acting normal with the
>other ferrets just 2 weeks ago.  Any insight would be helpful.
 
This really sounds to me as if her insulinoma is the problem.  Adrenal
disease, especially in females, is rarely a sudden problem, and not life
threatening.  Of course, there may be other things going on, but I would,
if she were mine, definitely do some bloodwork, and check to see what was
going on.  With the lower dose of pred, and the signs she's exhibiting,
that would absolutely be my first thought.
 
Dr. Ruth
*****************************************
Save lives - spay or neuter your pet.
[Posted in FML issue 3813]