From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Saturday, September 18, 1999 5:52 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Subject: FAIML #332; Sept. 18, 1999 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #332; Sept. 18, 1999 1. Is red skin a symptom of adrenal disease? 2. Pred/Blood Test Question (Insulinoma) 3. nutrical 4. Ferret Expenses The FERRET ADRENAL/INSULINOMA MAILING LIST (FAIML) is a group that's come together to share support and information about adrenal and insulinoma diseases. FAIML comes out in digest format three to six times per week, depending on the number of posts sent, and their urgency. FAIML information is the opinion, only, of subscribers, mostly ferret caretakers. It is not medical advice, comes with no guarantee of accuracy, and is not meant to replace the examination and medical oversight of a qualified veterinarian. If your ferret is sick or exhibiting signs of illness take your fur kid to the most ferret-experienced vet you can find! A ferret-experienced vet is one of the most important services you can provide to your ferret. TO POST: Write POST at the end of your subject heading (the more specific you can be in your subject heading, the better) and send to . URGENT POSTS: If you feel the message is urgent please mark it POST URGENT and I'll send it out to subscribers as soon as I can, then include the message in the next list. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Please write POST ANONYMOUS after your subject heading if you don't want your address or last name published. SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE: Just use the one address for posts, subscription questions, requests, cancellations, comments, etc. The list is run by hand so just send me an e-mail. ADRENAL/INSULINOMA WEBSITE: FAIML ARCHIVES/PHOTOS: Past FAIMLs are being archived, with a search feature, on Michael Janke's adrenal/insulinoma web site: . Michael is also kindly posting pictures of FAIML subscribers and the ferrets at this site in the FAIML Album. Check out his site for more info. PAM GREENE's FERRET FAQs: I suggest people read (and reread) Pamela Greene's Disease FAQ's on Insulin and Adrenal diseases, as they offer a good background. I forward them to all new subscribers, and will gladly send them upon request. I also send the "Disease Package", a file that tells how to get all six of Pamela Greene's FAQs on ferret diseases. Pam also has excellent FAQ's about general ferret care as well, and a link to these may be found on the FERRET CENTRAL web site: . THE FERRET MAILING LIST (FML): The FML has 3,000+ ferret-loving subscribers and the topic is simply ferrets, ferrets, and more ferrets. Moderated by Mr. Bill Gruber, it's a good source of ferret entertainment and information. Visit FERRET CENTRAL on the web (see paragraph above) for more info on the FML. To subscribe to the FML, send email to its moderator, Bill Gruber, at and ask to be added. You can also try subscribing automatically by sending email to with the command SUBSCRIBE FERRET in the body of the email. 1. Subject: Is red skin a symptom of adrenal disease? From: "Roberto" Date sent: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 23:31:55 -0700 Hi Folks, I have a problem...Junior is 2 years old male. He lost a lot of hair from the tail and furthermore he has developed red skin since 10-15 days ago. It looks like he has some sort of food allergies: he has red ears, red mouth (lips), red nose, he is red around the eyes, and his paws are red too and he has lost hair in the red areas. He has also reddish belly, but when I wash him the red stuff disappear for few hours. I would like to know if the red thing so extensive could be caused by adrenal disease as he has lost hair from the tail a lot. I have another baby that had his adrenal surgery few months ago but he was not red at all. Anyone with such experience??? Please help! Thanks, Rob 2. Subject: Pred/Blood Test Question (Insulinoma) Date sent: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 8:23:03 -0500 From: "Mary Rogers" I'm new to this list in case this question has been asked before, I apologize. Fruity had a seizure a week ago and then he started the involuntary head bobbing. We put him on pred thinking it might be insulinoma. Next Monday we're doing the blood test (yes I know it's backwards) so we've taken him off the pred 4/5 days prior to the test. So far he seems OK, head bobbing a little, no seizures. I'm still giving him Bob's Chicken gravy twice a day. My question is will the gravy be enough to sustain him until we have the test results to know if he really has insulinoma or not? He seems to be acting better since being on the pred and gravy twice a day. I just don't want him to have a seizure again since we took him off the pred. Of course we're keeping an eye on him in case we see any drastic change. Thanks, Mary and The 12 Munchkins 3. Subject: nutrical From: Sandy Adams Date sent: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 09:26:52 -0500 Hi all.. My cassie has insulinoma.. and we were doing ferretvite until our vet stopped us.. ferretvite's calories come directly from sugar.. corn syrup.. nutrical's calories come from fat.. that's why nutrical is ok to give ferrets with insulinoma that's according to our vets.. Dr. Weiss and Dr. Harlan Cass had her surgery for adrenal about 2 months ago.. her hair has grown back and she's such a sweet girl.. we are giving her pedia-pred for the insulinoma and feeding her duck soup 3 times a day.. she's getting fat and sassy.. and sleeps on my chest every night after her feeding for an hour or so.. i'm so grateful for this time with her.. take care Sandy and the Adams 9 :) 4. Subject: Ferret Expenses From: Sunshine Date sent: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 21:40:42 -0700 Should explain what I wrote. Maybe I've been reading too much about Vet's misdiagnosing a ferret and them being sick more and some dying. Some doing tons of tests with nothing being found wrong even tho the ferret is sick. Maybe I'm a bit upset about hearing these things. Or a ferret having surgery and being in pain afterwards. Here a vet is supposed to help and sometimes they make things worse. I hate when I write something and the meaning comes out wrong from what I meant to say. When we had a ferret put to sleep we did see a vet, but the ferret was dying and nothing we did helped. Maybe it's not the money as it is the suffering or misdiagnosing which does bother me so. Thanks for understanding. Debbie ------------------------ End of FAIML #332 --------------------------