Hi Everyone,
I have not really been keeping up with the FML but some of you may know
me. My name is Laura (Robbins) Bogren and I ran the NOLA Ferret Rescue
here in New Orleans from 2000-2006. Hit hard by Katrina and despising
living in a FEMA trailer my (now) husband, Eric, and I moved to
Raleigh, NC in 2006. We want to send a huge thank you to Triangle
Ferret Lovers and Diane Campbell of Ferret Guardian Rescue haven for
accepting us into their lives. We moved back to New Orleans in December
2008; New Orleans is home to us... and it always will be.

The reason for my post: TriFl participates with the NCSU vet school
every year in a 2 week ferret seminar for vet students. Also, they
get about 12 ferrets a year that are "retired breeders" that the vet
students spay, neuter & descent and then NCSU places them with local
rescues. (Diane using taking the bulk of them... she is a true ferret
angel!) In 2008, being Diane's Raleigh foster home, we kept 5 of the
11 to adopt out. We fell in love and kept a siamese blaze who is named
BooBoo. BooBoo is a BIG boy.. he used to weigh in at almost 4 lbs. Last
week I noticed BooBoo was not eating on his own, very lethargic with
nasty green/black poop. He was put on Amoxi, carafate & hand feedings
4-5 times daily. His weight continued to drop and he went to the vet
today. All of his blood work was normal... except for his GLUCOSE
which came in a whopping 65. In my 10 years of ferret experience, I
have never had a ferret this young be diagnosed with insulinoma. Our
absolutely fabulous ferret vet here in New Orleans, Dr. Greg Rich, who
has had an exotics only practice for almost 20 years says he has seen
insulinoma in ferrets starting at around age 2.5; but never a late
alter. He said it's due to genetics......

My question to all you FMLers: Have you EVER had a late alter ferret
with insulinoma? If so, at what was he/she diagnosed? All the ferrets
here eat totally ferret & evo and I have personal 6 year old ferrets
who do not have insulinoma. Do you think it's the genes? If so, should
I contact the breeder (I assume Marshall farms) about this?! God only
knows how many kits BooBoo fathered before he was retired at 1.5 years
old. If it is his genes, then god help us....... Insulinoma in itself
is a devastating disease..... but at 3 years old?!?!

Any comments, experience or input would be greatly appreciated.

Laura Bogren
NOLA Ferret Rescue

[Posted in FML 6582]