From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 1999 3:43 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Subject: FAIML #341; Oct. 12, 1999 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #341; Oct. 12, 1999 Dear FAIML Readers. Hang onto your seats. The last two posts are real tear jerkers, but beautiful in their own way, strong testaments of our deep love for fuzzies and the great lengths to which we stretch for them. I can relate to "Real Compassion" - I've been their myself, more than once, feeling I prolonged life too long. euthanasia is so nearly always a hard, hard call. The second post is a call for thoughts and prayers. The first is a question about an unusual-sounding symptom. It's a short list, but one pregnant with the reasons we've all come together. Lynn 1. Question re: specific vulvar changes and adrenal disease 2. Update on Hobbes 3. Gus & Lissy Lou 4. Real compassion 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 great 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: Question re: specific vulvar changes and adrenal disease From: "Miriam Maurice" Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 19:30:11 -0000 Hi again and thanks to all who have responded to my earlier post. I have a question about one of my girls who has significant hair loss and hence, suspected adrenal disease. A few months back she presented with some changes to her vulva and I wonder if they are related to her adrenal disease or not. Her vulva has never been swollen. The changes were two raised areas with something dark underneath that almost resembled pencil lead (the tip of a pencil) broken off and stuck under the skin on the inside of her labia but large enough that they opened up her labia and could be seen without pulling her labia apart. She also had some white cottage cheesy looking stuff to the side which the vet was more concerned with and which he treated with antibiotics. The white part did go away but the other two areas of black something? are still there. He has mentioned that he thinks they are the equivalent of blackheads. Is this something unique to my girl or might this be something other female ferrets with adrenal disease have had? Thanks, Michaela Maurice College of Veterinary Medicine Ohio State University Class of 2002 2. Subject: Update on Hobbes From: Jason Neuman Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 17:14:41 -0400 Hi Everyone, Here's the latest with Hobbes....as you may remember I took him to the vet a month ago and found that his doctor (Dr. B.) had moved to a clinic 45 min. away and his new doctor would be Dr. E. Well I wasn't very comfortable with Dr. E. who said that his hair wouldn't start growing back from the adrenal surgery for 8 months (the surgery was in May and this was August). Plus Hobbes had lost a couple of ounces in weight. Well last week he was feeling puny and was having diarrhea and vomiting. I took him to see Dr. E. again, and in just a month Hobbes had lost another 2 ounces. Dr. E. felt his belly and put him on an antibiotic and pepto. Well that was Wed. and by this Mon. he still felt bad. I called Dr. B. at his new clinic and as soon as he heard the symptoms he wanted to see him immediately. The first thing he said when he saw Hobbes was "why hasn't he grown any hair back?" I told him about Dr. E. and he was visibly concerned that he hadn't done any tests on Hobbes. Well Hobbes ended up having to stay on an IV for 2 straight days because his liver was enlarged and other problems (including the wrong medicine prescribed by Dr. E.). I picked him up at the vet on Wed. and he was doing better, but still not eating so Dr. B. said for me to feed him anything he wanted --- we got his favorites (grapes, bananas, raisins, honey nut cheerios, etc.) but he wouldn't eat. On Thursday morning he couldn't move, he'd just lay there and shake so I took him back to Dr. B. This time Dr. B. found he was anemic and had dropped to 10% (15% is considered critical) but thank God there was a ferret there and Dr. B. was able to do a blood transfusion. Hobbes is doing a little better and eating a little. He will stay at the vet over the weekend. I had to give Dr. B. the okay to euthanize him at any point Hobbes was suffering and as a last option. Dr. B. is optimistic that this shouldn't be a concern at the present, but it was still hard to do (but I know Dr. B. will exercise the right judgement). Please keep him and us in your prayers....he's only 3 1/2 and we don't want to lose him! I'll update you on Monday when I can go check on him. I guess the point is that if you don't trust your fuzzy's doctor, even if its just a gut feeling, don't dismiss it! If we hadn't taken him to see Dr. B. he wouldn't be around now! It was well worth the 45 minute drive! Thanks for all your prayers and support! Nikki & Hobbes PS: Jinx the cat is now an outside cat which has helped tremendously! 3. Subject: Gus & Lissy Lou From: "TANGI SCHOENHOFF" Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 13:49:40 -0700 I would just like to thank you for all the support and information I have received from this mailing list. I am about to put both of my ferrets down sometime soon, probably this week. Lissy Lou has been fighting adrenal disease for two years now and started diabetic seizures as a result. Her companion, Gus, has developed squamous cell carcinoma which is rapidly invading his oral mucosa. He was very healthy until Lissy Lou started with her seizures, at which point he all of a sudden developed the cancer. I believe he did not want to live without his love, Lissy Lou. They are both old for ferrets, 8 and 9, and they have lived healthy playful lives dooooooookinggg around the house and playing with their kitty friends. They will be missed greatly. My heart goes out to all ferret owners who have lost these wonderful creatures. J.Pifer, RVT. 4. Subject: Real compassion From: Saracecili@aol.com Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 10:57:18 EDT Hi All, It has been a few months since Felony, the coolest ferret in the world, died of insulinoma. I just wanted to write a few words to all of you with ferrets who are suffering. One of my biggest regrets is having let Felony stay alive for as long as she did. She was really suffering. Her insulinoma got worse and worse, she retched all the time, got thinner and thinner, and wouldn't eat very much. I poured medicines and treatments into her, and she hated it. She had reactions to the medicines. It was awful. I agonized constantly over when to let her go, but since she, like most ferrets, have a determination and stamina that goes way beyond what their bodies can deal with, I kept her alive way to long. It would have been the kindest thing to let her go once things went to a point of no return. In the wild, she would have been put out of her misery way before I'm sure. I could have used the money and energy I put into her (which didn't help her) into helping other animals have a better life (ie-a shelter, etc). I think that sometimes we humans, in our love for our animal companions, and our inability to let go, do the animals a disservice by prolonging their lives to a point that's painful to them. I'd almost rather err by letting them go a little too soon rather than too late. Sarah ------------------- End of FAIML #341 -----------------------