If he is fully Addisonian he will also need either injections of
Percorten or oral Fludrocort/Florinef as well as Pred.
 
Fludrocort is the generic of Florinef and is very inexpensive and easy
to give.  Get the serrated pill or caplet so that the medicine is evenly
distributed (because otherwise you need to crush the entire thing, mix
well, and then divide), cut it, crush the piece and mix it with
Ferretone, or fish oil.  Easy as pie to get in.
 
Prednisolone is usually better to give than Prednisone.  (Pediapred is
a form of Prednisolone.) That is because it skips a liver processing step
that Prednisone has to go through in the body to become Prednisolone.  If
the liver is at all compromised Prednisone is therefore less effective,
sometimes greatly so.
 
The Pred handles a few things, including fluid balance that the adrenals
are no longer there to fix, and the Fludrocort/Florinef or Percorten
tackle the Sodium and Potassium levels and ratio which need to be right
or death results.
 
When first Addisonian it can help to add a little regular table salt to
the diet since drops in sodium are common.
 
You may need to adjust to get the right balance, then later if the ferret
gains much weight, becomes much more active, or undergoes a major stress
the amounts will need to increase.
 
There is an FHL ferret who did not tolerate either Pred (personal medical
quirk) and an alternative steroid was used.  That ferret has been "on
dexamethasone and florinef for well over three years and he's doing just
fine" according to his mom.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5117]