Susan wrote:
>The vet has now informed her that the only treatment is that they must go
>in and do surgery within the next month to remove tumors.  The surgery is
>expected to take 3 hours and cost $600-$800.
 
Surgery is usually the first choice in treating insulinoma in an otherwise
healthy ferret now.  The recommended surgery is removal of about 1/3 of the
pancreas, if possible where the tumors are located, plus any other tumors
that can be seen or felt.  What bothers me about the statement is the 3
hour surgery.  From what I've gathered from our shelter vet and other very
ferret knowledgeable vets, any surgery taking over 20 - 30 minutes begins
to significantly reduce the ferret's chances of recovery.  Their body
temperature begins to drop under anesthesia, and after about 30 minutes
becomes a serious problem (vets out there please correct any misinformation
here).  Our vet usually completes the pancreatic surgery well under that
time, at a cost of well less than half of what was quoted here.  At the
"hourly" rate, it would be similar.
 
After the pancreatic surgery, some vets recommend a 12 hour fast.
 
As for detection, the tumors can be quite small, feeling like grains of
sand.  Unless they have had time to grow significantly, they won't be
visible on ultrasound or x-ray.  Other than exploratory surgery, the blood
glucose test is the best indicator.  Glucose levels at which the ferret
crashes, seems to vary from ferret to ferret.  Some will appear healthy
and bouncy at BG levels in the 70 - 80 range; others will become listless
or even crash at 70.  We had one who I noticed was just sleeping more than
normal who had a BG level near 40!  A BG level in the 70's is certainly
indicative of insulinoma and the sooner the surgery is performed, the
better.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 2976]