hello-
In response to the way your ferret is acting I am going to share my
experience.  My ferret, Canooka had adrenal disease about two years ago.
The surgery was successful and she healed quickly.  She began showing
signs of insulinoma about a year ago, which is normal after recovering
from adrenal disease.  Since then she has shown balance problems with her
hind end.  She has lost an extreme amount of weight.  The weight issue I
have come to terms with.  She eats very regularly and is given several
goodies and she has never gain her weight back.  What used to be a chubby
ball of fur now has hip bones that pertrude out.  She has been fine and I
have come to terms that her body chemistry is much different now.
 
She still becomes hypo glycemic on a somewhat regular basis (once a month
or so)...nothing sugar water and a vet visit doesn't cure.  But yesterday
was her worst attack.  She was not having a insulun attack, but her hind
legs and right side of her body were giving out on her and she couldn't
walk...she would just end up walking in circles.  She became very
dehydrated although she was drinking a high quantity of water...plus I
was giving her water with a dropper.  In the end, I was told this has a
lot to do with her history of Insulinoma and adrenal disease and that it
was normal.  We gave her steroids and clavamox (I swear I should buy
stock in that stuff) and she is one hundred and ten percent better...not
even limping.
 
I kinda went off on a tangent, but you were wondering if what she was
going through was adrenal related or insulinoma...sounds very similar to
Canooka...which is insulinoma.  Laziness, weight loss, complete change of
demanor.  I base this also on the fact that I had another ferret, Ouisha
( who is dearly missed) who also had adrenal disease.  She went through
several surgeries but the disease kept coming back.  She lived for about
1 1/2 years after we finally accepted there was no cure, and she didn't
show the same symptoms as Canooka.  Her recurring adrenal disease
involved swollen glands, hair loss, extreme listlessness and not eating.
Long story short.... I would get a second opinion if possible.
 
Jodi
[Posted in FML issue 4700]