well, HELLO again from Louisiana. I just wanted to say that I got the results on Goo girl from the autopsy done at LSU in September. Results: not multifocal hepatitis but the dreaded INSULINOMA!! There were 2 microscopic tumors on 2 different cells that were growing on the insulin producing parts of the pancreas (NOte: there were NO visible lesions on the pancreas). The pathologist said that just those could produce enough insulin to kill her. I take this time to look back and realize that she had been rather lethargic off and on for about 6 months, but there were no signs of seizures, so I took that as age. You know, she was about 5 and with age they tend to sleep more. Not until August did I see the first seizure, a small one but noticable. Also she began to paw at her mouth ALOT!! The second seizure came about 1 week later,only this one was worse. I woke up to the sound of her screaming like a baby, I grabbed her and took her to work. Her mouth was clinched onto her towel so tight we had to pry her mouth open. We administered dexamethasone(cortisone) and rubbed karo syrup on her gums and gave her an injection of dextrose and some fluids. She finally came around about 45 minutes later! I began giving her .5 cc's of prednisone 2x a day. But, I noticed the next day that she seemed like she was blind and my boss said that the seizure was so severe that it could have blinded her. I took her home and then about 3 weeks later is when the big one hit!! I had her in a pet taxi seperated from the others to recouperate and I awoke to alot of noise, I looked in the taxi and she was jumping around, foaming at the mouth and there was blood everywhere!!!! I called my boss and met him at the clinic and I decided to let her go to the Rainbow Bridge with all of the other wonderful fuzzies. It was so hard to do but seeing her like that was one of the worst days in my life. You know, I was hoping that maybe she would pass quietly in her sleep NOT obviously suffering like she was. WELL, exactly 10 days later I had my oldest male Odie (7yrs) at work for a day or two to get blood to run some test since he was the oldest, when I got to work that morning he was lying on his back staring into space. I picked him up and he started screaming and screaming so we did the same treatment as above but this time it did not help. He would quiet down for about 10 minutes and then start screaming again. I held him all day and with no obvious improvement we put him at peace also. Doc did a necropsy (Note: there WERE visible lesions on the pancreas) and sent tissue samples to LSU and the results came back with a finding of endocrine carcinoma. I never saw any seizures with Odie, he was just lazy and again I attributed that to his age. So I tell you from experience, if you notice your fuzzy to be tired or lazy it might just help to get a jump on things and take them in for some bloodwork, just to be on the safe side!! Now, let me catch my breath- whew, only when I thought it couldn't get any worse Otis became very thin and lethargic in a matter of 2-3 weeks. WELL, I had to take him to New Orleans for a right adrenalectomy, he already had the left removed about 7 months ago!! When the vet opened him up his spleen was about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide!! He did a splenectomy and said that the spleen is suppossed to be the size of our pinky finger!! He is doing fine and wants to be with the others but it's to soon. He will be on .04cc's of Pediapred for the rest of his little life but as long as he feels better thats okay with me!!! Let me just add this, I don't know how it all relates but all of my ferrets are MF ferrets and I wanted to make a list. I have had ferrets since 1989 and here they are: FIGARO (3yrs): died in his sleep, no symptoms, always playful ODIE (7yrs): endocrine carcinoma EMM (4yrs): suspected insulinoma and gastric ulcers, also left adrenalectomy SEBASTIAN (4yrs): huge hairball lodged in intestines, emergency surgery but alot of tissue was necrotic so vet suggested euthanasia GOO (5yrs): insulinoma All of the above are over the Rainbow Bridge together again!!! ATIMER (4yrs): alive and well RENFIELD (4yrs): left adrenalectomy and removed tumor on head, but alive and well MOWGLI aka POOPOO (3yrs): alive and well SPROCKET (2yrs): alive and well OTIS (3+yrs): left and right adrenalectomy and splenectomy Well, if anyone has any questions on these issues feel free to e-mail me at [log in to unmask] Sorry for the length, I wanted to write as everything was happening but I just couldn't muster up the energy to do it. I hope everyone is well and THANKS for listening!!! BYE from La. Lisa [Posted in FML issue 2105]