>From:    Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Need insulinoma opinions
>...After our first visit, the blood test confirmed what I
>allready knew, her blood sugar was at about 40.  After consulting a couple
>of his colleagues, he prescribed diazoxide(?) to dramatically decrease her
>insulin output from her pancrease.  No problem execept it's about $150.00
>for a 30ml bottle!  I called my Vet back and asked him to come up with a
>"Plan B" that was a bit more cost effective in the long run.  I'm still
>waiting to hear back from them and that is why now I'm asking for some of
>your experience and or wisdom about options.
 
The most common course of treatment is to first start a ferret on
prednisone and when that is no longer effective at the maximum dosage,
begin using Proglycem (diazoxide).  Is Winnie on pred?  If not, that's an
option and it's MUCH cheaper.  $15 will get you enough to last a couple
months, depending on dosage of course.
 
I was speaking with my vet on Thursday and she was telling me that she
recently read an article that said there is new information that indicates
it is better to start with Proglycem, not prednisone.  She didn't have the
article handy so I couldn't say whose opinion this is or what information
would support this thinking.
 
For the ferrets,
Mike
 
* Michael F. Janke, [log in to unmask]
* South Florida Ferret Help Line, 305-752-7040
*
* Website:  http://www.miamiferret.org
* Adrenal/Insulinoma web site: http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc
[Posted in FML issue 3087]