I have a problem that I'm sure several ferret owners on this list have experienced before. I am writing you from Enid, OK. I have a ferret, TALLY. She's a six-year-old neutered female. She recently became very listless, had sticky saliva, was dehydrated, hobbled sideways, etc. I took her to the local vet. After he did a glucose test (results: 30 mg/dl glucose level) and poked around her gut. He found her spleen swollen three times normal size and a small nodule near her pancreas. He diagnosed Tally as having Pancreatic Beta Cell Neoplsia (insulinoma). He told me she probably had a few days to six months or so before the cancer took over her body and killed her. He gave Tally a steroid shot, directed me to give her caro syrup twice per day and keep him posted. The vet said surgery was a waste of time. I took Tally home and she's seemed to bounce back relatively fine -- for now. She sleeps even more than she did before and her appetite is below normal. I've looked at about all the info I could on the WWW on insulinoma. I'm waiting for Dr Bruce Williams and another vet to give me some feedback. I'll be sure to use the caro syrup sparingly (only when she goes into her staring spells) and keep her on her high-protein Iam's kitten food and ferretone. I'm also taking Tally back to get a full blood profile to see what else we can find. I've read on the web that vets sometimes confuse pancreatic acinar hyperplasia with insulinoma. (1) Based off the information, could this be the case here? (2) How does one know the difference between the two disorders? (3) Should I get a second opinion? (4) Will an ultrasound help determine what's going on inside Tally? My vet says it wouldn't determine a whole lot. (5) Is surgery (or cheomotherapy) a waste of time and money? I know there's a lot of variables, especially dependant on how far the cancer has spread. And I also know that if it is insulinoma, there's a strong chance of reoccurance. But if we can prolong Tally's life just a year, it's worth it (as long as her quality of life remains good). I've found the recipe for "duck soup" off the web. My vet says for me to stay away from high-calorie supplements like this because it makes the insulin levels higher. She's not eating her food nearly the same amount she use to and I'm concerned she's going to get weak. (6) Should I make and give Tally some of this duck soup? Please give me a response. I plan to take action ASAP to make Tally better. Thanx a whole lot!!! Bobby Petty [Posted in FML issue 1583]