Hi all!  We have confirmed that Pharaoh has insulinoma.  He had an attack a
couple of years ago but the emergency vet didn't do a blood glucose check
so we weren't sure.  He had another attack a week or so ago and that
emergency vet did do a check showing the BGL was very low.  He checked for
tumors but didn't see any big ones in the xray leading him to believe that
Pharaoh has several small ones.  I asked him to discuss this with my
regular vet and they both agreed.  I have decided to forgo surgery for a
number of reasons.  First I can't afford it.  Secondly since the tumors
are many small ones it will be difficult to remove them all and there is
a good chance they will return unless the whole organ is removed.  Pharaoh
is almost 7 years old and has had a good life since I got him.  He is
receiving prednisone and high protein food to keep his BGL up.  I may get
flamed for making this discussion about his care but I don't think it is
fair for me to keep putting him through surgery, even if I could afford it,
just so I could have him around longer.  If he were a young ferret then I
could see the point of trying everything to save him but he's an old man
and sometimes they just need to be let go.  This doesn't mean I'm not going
to do my best with the medication and his food needs, I am, I don't want
to lose him but losing one of my dogs to cancer in December taught me that
sometimes nature needs to run her course and you can't always fight her
and win.
 
Ok on a different note, I'm going to France September 28th to October 8th.
Any French ferret lovers out there?  I'd love to meet you while I'm there.
I'll be in Paris for the first day or two then my sister and I are driving
to the south of France.  So anyone in/around Paris or on the drive to
SoFrance email me so we can stop by, 'cause I'm gonna need a fuzzy fix!
 
Laura and the fab five fuzzbutts
[Posted in FML issue 3152]