>Hi.  I posted a question recently and received only two replies (thank
>you!), though none from vets.  I suspect it's because no one has used
>methylprednisolone to treat insulinoma.
 
Nope.  I don't like using long acting pred, I like to be able to tweak the
dose if need be.
 
>Our vet has suggested it because she has read of evidence that it causes
>less secondary effects in humans than other forms of pred.  She was
>planning on consulting a pharmacist about it, and I said I'd post to this
>list.  There is a bit of urgency in that I feel I must decide soon about
>surgery for one of our ferrets, our sweet Minnie, who is quickly gaining
>weight on pediapred, which is not good with her congenital heart condition.
 
What about Proglycem?  It's already proven to work in ferrets, and it
doesn't have the same side effects.
 
>BACKGROUND: I've personally observed that using pediapred to treat
>insulinoma leads to obesity and resultant lack of mobility in ferrets.
 
No question from me, though I find having a younger ferret in the household
keeps the activity level up and the rate of weight gain down.  Not every
one can get there pred-belly ferret a pal, however ;-)
 
>In terms of medical treatment for insulinoma, I'm looking for other
>options.  I have a seven-year-old locally-bred spayed ferret, an albino,
>with insulinoma diagnosed 5/1/02.  She also has a congenital heart murmur
>rated three on a scale of six; regarding the heart she is symptom free as
>of yet, though she is breathing a bit heavier due to, I hope, recent
>weight gain; I've observed no coughing.  She has been on a small dose of
>prediapred for insulinoma for three months (.2 ml 2x/day of 6.75 mg/5ml).
>We feed her our version of chicken soup, and try not to overfeed, and she
>has quit eating kibble as so often happens.  Since onset of treatment
>5/1/02 Minnie has gone from 1lb 4oz (she was a runt) to 1lb 10oz!  Minnie
>has always been extremenly active, and I've worked to ensure she gets
>plenty of exercise to keep her heart in good shape.  She is less active
>now, though still playful (much less so) and still galloping a bit.
>Surgery isn't the most attractive option due to her heart condition.
>However, we are considering it and may get an ultrasound soon to access
>the heart.
>
>  QUESTIONS
> 1)  Regarding medical treatment, our vet suggested we switch Minnie to
> Methylprednisolone because our vet has read of evidence that this drug
> causes less side affects in humans than regular pred.  Has anyone here
> used it to treat insulinoma and, if so, what were the results?  If not,
> can anyone identify reasons for or against trying it?
 
   See above.
 
> 2)  Regarding surgery consideration, given a ferret-experienced
> radiologist with a ferret-experienced vet attending, how accurate, in
> general, is ultrasound is in predicting the safety of proceeding with
> surgery in regards to a heart condition?
 
I don't do surgery on heart cases - call me paranoid, but I'd rather have
a live fat ferret than a dead one on the table.
 
> 3)  Why does pred. cause weight gain and how might one alleviate the
> problem?  If pred. causes the body to metabolize more fat, as I
> understand it does, should the ferret's diet be cut back, or would this
> lead to insufficient nutrition due to the increased conversion of fat
> (obviously I'm no nutritionist!).
 
It also makes them hungry, so they tend to eat more.  I usually counter
this by decreasing the caloric level of the food (change to senior diets,
use lean chicken baby food, etc).
 
Hope this helps,
-Dr. Karen
 
DISCLAIMER:
This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only.  It is
in no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified
licensed veterinarian.  If you are concerned about your pet's health, you
should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible.
[Posted in FML issue 3468]