Hi folks,
 
Nicky is about 6 years old.  (We're not really sure because we adopted him
from the local dog/cat shelter.  They didn't know much about ferrets and
were happy to give him to us.)
 
Our vet diagnosed Nicky with an insulinoma about 4-5 months ago.  Symptoms
included lethargy, diarrhea, no appetite, weak rear limbs.  He said surgery
was not much of an option.  Apparently the tumors are too small and there's
no way to determine if they'll come back in a few months if the surgery is
successful.  We went the drug route.  1/2 cc Prednisone twice a day.  We
were told it would work for a while, then it would stop and we'd have to
add a second drug.  Doc said that this second drug would only last a while
and that's all that could be done.
 
The Predinose worked.  Symptoms disappeared, although Nicky became too
aggressive (Terminator Ferret) toward the other ferrets and we've had to
keep him separate.
 
Last week, the diarrhea returned.  Today, he apparently didn't even have
the energy to get into the box and the liquid poop is all over the floor of
his cage.  No problem with the rear limbs.  He seems to be eating, although
when the diarrhea started, we changed him from a mix of Hill's A/D and
Science Diet Turkey Feline Maintenance (which he loves) to plain boiled
chicken.  He didn't go for the chicken.  I attribute some of the runny poop
to the diet changes.  We also started a brief regimen of Kaopectate, and
then Pepto.  It didn't help.
 
Now we're at the point where I wonder if we've reached stage two in his
drug treatment.  This, obviously, is the bothersome stage because we're
told it's the final one for Nicky.
 
So, our questions to all of you are.....
Is it time for the second drug?
Was our vet right in his treatment options for the insulinoma?
Alternative suggestions on how to help Nicky?
Anything else you care to share about our situation?
 
Thanks for your input.  Please e-mail us:  [log in to unmask]
 
Paul & Melissa Rosenthal
[Posted in FML issue 1677]