I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write this.  I haven't been on the
computer much.  I am so tired when I get home from work, it is starting to
get me down I am afraid.
 
Help!!!!!  I am more confused that ever.  The vet I took her to for a
second opinion says that she is so fat because of an adrenal tumor.  Has
anyone here heard of that?  Dr. B also says there is no mass in her chest,
but that her heart is enlarged and want to do an ultra sound of her chest.
She says that Hope needs to have surgery, but right now she doesn't think
that she would live through it.
 
I also talked to my vet on Mon. too.  Dr. Lennex had me put Hope on
Pediapred and to try and cut down some on her food.  Dr. B says I can
starve her and she won't loose any weight due to the adrenal tumor.  Dr.
Lennex thinks that Hope has insulinoma, despite the fact that it hasn't
showed up in her blood work yet.  She wants me to take her in and leave
her for a day and let them take blood every two or three hours to monitor
exactly what the blood sugar is doing.  She says that there can be two
different types of tumors on the pancreas, one which causes insulinoma and
the other causes a diabetes like condition.  Ferrets can have both of them
at the same time.  The monitoring would give them a better picture of which
ones are more active.  I am not sure of having her put to sleep that much.
Sometimes they have trouble hitting a vein.  One time they had to cut her
toe nail so short that she actually jumped while under antistetic.  Dr.
Lennex has me fast them at least 5 hours before she does the blood sugars.
I think I followed your advice and only fasted Faith for 2 or 3 hours
before I had the test that showed up the Insulinoma.  I think she is having
me fast them so long that their blood sugar goes so far down that the liver
releases glucose and brings it back up before the test.
 
Dr. B wants to do an ultra sound of the heart on Hope.  I have went ahead
and set up the appointment for a week from today.  I am doing it because I
feel that if it does show a problem, I can get her on the appropriate
medication.
 
Has anyone else had an ultra sound done on the heart?  Is it reliable?  How
much did it cost you?  She says she usually charges a consulting fee of
$50, but will wave it for me as long as I am working for her.  The vet that
does the test charges $138.  If this will allow me to give her what she
needs to keep her comfortable, it will be worth it.
 
Any help that you can give will be greatly appreciated.
 
Phyllis and the four Wigglies, Faith, Hope, Charrity and Generosity
[Posted in FML issue 2463]