Managing elderly and terminally ill ferrets in their last stages, or even terminally ill ones in their last stages is so different from other medical care. Earlier in an illness you are trying for time and quality of life. Sometimes that means that a procedure like a major surgery is used because a week or two healing means years of good and healthy life. When you have one for whom pretty well everything has been done then you alter your approach. Warp is such an individual; she is an 8 year old MF albino ferret with several things gone wrong. She stresses easily (was an abuse victim in her kithood) has a friable small intestine, advanced insulinoma, R adrenal growth, possibly/probably lymphoma, and now she is due on Tuesday for a chest x-ray and new bloodwork, particularly blood glucose level test: to see if she has also added cardiomyopathy due to starting to get mild ascites, and to monitor her blood glucose and possibly some other health aspects if she up to giving enough blood. The receptionist was a little startled to hear that she would have her x-rays without anesthesia even if meant that I'd be calming her, but anesthesia doesn't agree well with Warpie. Warp's meds include: Lupron, Pred (which is at a very high level to give her comfort, Proglycem, and she gets added sugar because her insulinoma is beyond a point where the meds are enough. Last night ***Torb*** was added for pain control because she had begun to whimper, especially in her sleep or when examined. Last night she (and we) got a decent night's sleep due to her improved comfort, and right now she is running around happily.. I know that there are those who would think that she "just" should be given a mercy shot or that a mercy shot at this point would be kindness, but she still mostly enjoys life which is not something anyone could see long-distance, still initiates mild wrestling bouts with Sherman, still explores, still kisses, still interacts with the other ferrets, us, and her vet whom she adores. SHE is not ready to give up, yet, so we aren't going to rush her but want to give her as much comfort as possible. A veterinary oncologist has recommended trying ***Ovaband*** on her so that will start soon. Raising blood sugar is normally considered one of its bad possible side effects but for her it would not be bad. ***The vet oncologist said that there is some talk going on about Lupron not always being very effective in the old-elderly which is what 8 starts to be (as opposed to the early-elderly) and that this may therefore control some adrenal-related symptoms which currently decrease her comfort level but which Lupron no longer tackles.*** Her Ovaband will start daily and then go every three days. Depending on how she is on Tuesday and what the chest x-ray, exam and tests show she may also get Lasix to attempt to reduce her ascites and add more comfort that way. It is possible that with her pain and these symptoms controlled *IF* this protocol works that she may have as long as a month of quality time ahead of her. All of us were pretty shocked -- very happily so -- to hear that number. Recently, we have been figuring in terms of days to maybe a couple of weeks left in her, so it will be great if she gets a good month more. She might still be gone this month, but maybe not... It is up to her ultimately. [Posted in FML issue 3814]