From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2000 1:01 AM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML; FAIMLanon; FAIML Cc: faiml@miamiferret.org Subject: FAIML #375; Jan. 11, 2000 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #375; Jan. 11, 2000 1. Please help -- Lucky Charm 2. Insulinoma Without Signs? 3. ferret with adrenal & insulinoma 4. Lymphoma 5. Need Info On Lypoma 6. Wally - Adrenal/Insulinoma Surgery Thursday! Special Procedures after Pancreas surgery? 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 surgency. 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 email. 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. Please help -- Lucky Charm From: Linda.Doran@att.net Date sent: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 03:40:33 +0000 Tonight I learned that my wonderful, adorable, beloved fuzzy girl, Lucky Charm, has kidney disease. I lost my first ferret, C-pi, to kidney failure and I am devastated. Lucky Charm's kidney troubles became apparent when we did a routine blood check recently upon refilling a prescription for Florinef, which she has been taking since her right adrenalectomy in August. This weekend we did a a follow- up blood check and a urinalysis. Her calcium levels are high (13 vs. a normal of 11), creatinine is high (1.0 vs. 0.4), and urine specific gravity is high (10.18, meaning it is dilute and she is not clearing waste products from her body efficiently). Does anyone here know of any treatment at all to alleviate her condition or prolong her life? Are there any medications to help with this? She's doing OK so far, though sometimes she slips a little while running. It seems like every time I turn around, one of my ferrets is dying of cancer or kidney failure. Oh, and I forgot to mention, another one of my ferrets, Chocolate Moose, is now also showing elevated creatinine and specific gravity levels. Please help if you can or let me know what you have done to help your ferrets in similar situations. Linda, Lucky Charm, Chocolate Moose, & Zipper 2. Insulinoma Without Signs? From: "Mary Rogers" Date sent: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 10:07:08 -0600 Can they have insulinoma and not show any signs? Wheeler crossed the bridge Saturday night laying on my chest. He's the one I posted questions on neurological problems. From the blood test it showed 60 glucose, high globulin, and everything else was normal. He just went downhill so fast! I've heard that they can have these tremors in the late stages of insulinoma and there's nothing you can do. He never showed any signs. The early part of last week was when we noticed he was having trouble and we took him to the vet right away. Has anyone else heard/experienced this before? Thanks, Mary Mary Rogers Executive Administrative Associate for Ed Sandlin AVP-Business Product Management 972-718-6251 3. ferret with adrenal & insulinoma From: "kelly grannis" Date sent: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 07:14:49 PST This is my first time posting on a mailing list, so I hope I do this right :) I have seven ferrets, and have been through a lot of cancer related problems. But I've never had one with adrenal and insulinoma at the same time...until now. Is it all right to give prednisone and mitotane (or drenamin) at the same time? Thanks for any help! Kelly 4. Lymphoma From: katharine Date sent: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 18:15:31 -0500 Been there, done that! Lily (6) had bilateral adrenal surgeries, is still positive for adrenal, has been taking Lysodren for over a year, and has recently been diagnosed with lymphoma. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy. I don't know what "complications" they are referring to. Possibly the combination of all of the potent drugs. She hasn't had any so far, thank God. Some of the drugs drag her out for several days but there have been no adverse side effects that I have seen. Basically, with her type of lymphoma, the prognosis is 1-2 months from diagnosis to death without treatment. So...there was no decision to be made, in my opinion. As long as she is fairly active and has a good quality of life, we'll keep right on. She isn't exhibiting any signs of pain that I can see. Along with the weekly chemo, she is on pred twice a day (4/10cc), which I mix with her soup. She gets all the soup she wants twice a day and is actually gaining weight, instead of losing as she should be during chemo. We are delighted with that. When Ryker's biopsy is done, they should be able to tell what type of lymphoma it is and you will have to go from there. I hope we caught Lily's early enough. Only time will tell. I will be glad to pass on any of my experience that will help. Just ask! And, I hope the vet is wrong and it isn't lymphoma at all! BTW, Lily was also diagnosed with liver disease before she was two y.o. She was put on Hills K/D feline (which is all she will eat now) and we were able to bring the liver enzymes (?) under control. No more problems with that. One more thing...and this is quoting directly from the ferret lymphoma protocol: "Because of the probability that this disease is viral in origin, monitor all ferrets in any multiferret household containing a ferret with lymphoma with at least annual CBC counts." Kinda scary, ain't it?? Katharine 5. Need Info On Lypoma From: "Vicki L. Henderson" Date sent: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 20:45:19 -0500 Anyone out there have any information on the disease Lypoma (or Lipoma)? Has to do with uncontrollable fat cells. Thank you! -- Vicki L. Henderson-aka-Ferret Fanatic Ferret Xmas Ornaments: http://members.home.net/ferretfanatic Buzz, Woody, Miss Tizzy, Ginger Snap & General Kaos! The Fearless FLO! http://www.geocities.com/vlh1 Ferret Cross Stitch! http://www.geocities.com/ferretfanatic ICQ: 11898312 6. Wally - Adrenal/Insulinoma Surgery Thursday! From: Lynn McIntosh Date sent: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 24:42:16 -0400 Hi. Our Wally is scheduled for surgery this Thursday morning. Please send good thoughts, vibes, wishes, and prayers. He's a special boy and has been on meds for about two years for adrenal and insulinoma. His huge right tumor (about 24 by 30 millileters) was deemed inoperable then but now our vet is comfortable doing vena cava ligations and will hold off his vena cava to see if the blood is rerouted and, if so, will proceed. He also has insulinoma so she will excise an insulinoma and/or one-half his pancreas. He has been vocalizing more lately (is very heavy on top of everything else, due to the pediapred for insulinoma and the adrenal disease probably, thouigh he's been on Lupron), expecially when going the bathroom. We had an ultrasound which showed that everything looks good, including heart, so we've decided to give Wally a chance for improved quality of life. He's on so many meds and has trouble getting around as it is and with the added pain.... well, our vet agreed we should try. Because he's on pediapred, .75 ml 2 times per day, we're starting him on amoxi now (pediapred suppresses the immune system). He'll get a urinalysis and blood sugar test prior to surgery and have blood drawn to check his kidneys, in case he needs special care for that post-surgery. For those who have gone through pancreatic surgery, did your vet have your ferret fast afterwards? Our vet said he should eat as soon as possible, but I think I've heard otherwise so thought I'd ask. Thank you! Lynn (holding my breath until Thursday....) ----------------------- End of FAIML #375 -------------------------