>From:    Martha DeLaun Fifield <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: ferret vaccines and illness
>
>I did leave one of my ferrets there for the day and they found he has
>insulinoma.  His tests cost $300 and one of his medications will cost
>about $150.  I also found out one of my ferrets definately has adrenal
>gland disease ( she is only about 6 months) and at least 2 others show
>signs of it.  The surgery to remove the adrenal gland will cost about
>$1,000.  Alternative care with medication (temporary help) will cost
>about $400 every 4 months and the ferret would have to be on the medication
>for life.
 
While surgery and medical care for ferrets is not inexpensive, some of
these prices seem to be a bit overpriced.  It wasn't clear if the tests
performed were just for insulinoma, but if so, they charged just about 40
times what my vet charges for a blood glucose test, which is eight bucks,
not counting the office visit.  Of course it's possible that x-rays were
taken or even ultrasound, but a simple blood glucose test is probably just
as revealing (and maybe even more so) for insulinoma.
 
While adrenal disease in ferrets under a year is certainly not unheard of,
a six month old ferret with adrenal disease is pretty unusual and I would
want a second opinion on that diagnosis.  Surgery prices do vary from area
to area and vet to vet, but $1000 is pretty high no matter where you go or
who you see.  I just had bilateral adrenal surgery on one of mine for $400.
I don't doubt there are some out there that have gotten it for even less,
and some for more, so it does vary.  And though I'm only guessing, the
lifetime medication for adrenal that was mentioned is probably Lupron,
based on the price.  I can give you the phone number for the pharmacy that
Dr. Weiss uses and they will supply a single, ferret size dose of the
4-month Lupron depot for around $200.
 
This is not meant to slight your post in anyway.  I just felt that those
that have not been through this yet need to know that some of the
treatments for these all too common diseases need not be quite so
expensive.
 
For the ferrets,
Mike
 
* Michael F. Janke, [log in to unmask]
* South Florida Ferret Help Line, 305-752-7040
*
* Website:  http://www.miamiferret.org
* Adrenal/Insulinoma web site: http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc
[Posted in FML issue 3208]