From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2000 2:01 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Subject: FAIML #403; March 25, 2000 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #403; March 25, 2000 1. Urgent Post 2. Good Adrenal News 3. URINE TESTING 4. Shelby 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. Urgent Post From: "Marcia Anop-Rokmashko" Date sent: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 17:23:13 -0600 Hi, My name is Marcia, and I am writing because of my concern about a ferret named Quinn whom I rescued in October. He is an 8 year old true albino male who is blind. The former owner said he (and the 2 others I also rescued) had no health problems, but she hadn't taken them to the vet in "about 1 1/2 years". I took them to my vet, who is fairly new to me because we recently moved......and they were all given the distemper shots. In a couple of weeks Quinn developed diarrhea and when it did not abate, I went back to the vet with him. They checked his stool for bacteria and concluded because the test was negative that he must have an insulinoma (he was staggering). They put him on prednisone .25 in am and pm. Since then, he has gone through cycles of his stools firming up and then becoming golden and gelatinous. I have hand fed and watered him....whch he hates......and he became so weak at one point I thought he was a goner. He finally started doing better a couple of weeks ago, but I went out of town last Sat and just returned last night......and now he is in that same cycle of diarrhea again!!! I haven't seen anywhere that diarrhea is a symptom of insulinoma and very honestly, because of some other experiences with this vet group, I really don't want to go back ...... We are leaving for 2 weeks next Sat so I would like to get some answers so I can help him. I have a vet tech( from another clinic that doesn't deal with ferrets very much and were honest to say so) who comes 3X a day to care for my babies, so I want to be able to tell her what to do before we leave. Sooooo, I have 2 questions: 1. does this "syndrme" sound familiar to anyone and 2. can someone recommend a good ferret vet in my area. I live about 25 miles west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and about 80 miles east of Madison Quinn is such a sweetie and really very strong, I think.....I hope someone can help. Thanks, Marcia and the 6 Babies...Quinn, Oscar, Boo, Ben, Violet and Chloe and the 3 Angels....Daisy, Ouwasseh, and Kolya 2. Good Adrenal News From: teckart@oznet.ksu.edu Date sent: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 09:08:21 -0600 For a change I have good news. :-) Andy, who had both adrenals removed several months ago is doing very well. Initially, the month post surgery was very difficult for him. Larry (our vet) gave Andy a Percorten-V injection the second month and a week later Andy started playing again and gaining back his weight. Now he is back to his old self, playful and pigging out. :-) This morning as I was getting ready for work, Andy came to me and looked up, I looked down and asked what he wanted and he happily turned away to go play. He was just letting me know he was feeling well. :-) Also, last night Spook started playing. Spook had adrenal surgery 2 weeks ago. Pre surgery, Spook displayed the mating behavior and was normally in a tizzy. Last night was the first time in a very long time that Spook actually played. Swiffer, who also had adrenal surgery 2 weeks ago and who has a long ago healed crushed pelvis, is more active too. We still have one more surgery to go - Misty. At least at this time. :-0 Warm hugs to all. tle Troy Lynn Eckart Ferret Family Services http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/ Please sign up to support our charity http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=46&mid=58395 3. URINE TESTING From: "THOMAS D OSBURN" Date sent: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 07:21:37 -0500 Thank you so much Dr. Jerry Murray for clearing this testing up for me. There has been a lot of talk lately on urine testing for adrenal without knowing all the details. Your input is very valuable . Yes, I also feel that if all or most of the clinical signs of adrenal are there, go for the surgery or Lupron as suggested. Testing can get quite expensive. Where most of us have several ferrets, this is important. You know your ferret better than anyone so as soon as the symptoms appear, a good vet should be able to verify. Also, there will always be that exception to the rule, so in that case testing would be necessary. Mary 4. Shelby From: "Vicki L. Henderson" Date sent: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 02:00:00 -0500 Mike, First of all, Shelby cannot have any more raisins, that is really important. If she is healthy in every way but the insulinoma, my suggestions is surgery first, then diet, and she has to be on a better food than 9 Lives. Even if you can get her to try Bob Church's chicken gravy recipe, it's easy on the stomach, and with her taking prednisone she will need something easy on her stomach. You have to keep feeding her food high in protein and low in sugar. Anything with an "ose" at the end is some type of sugar, this you want to avoid. Should keep Karo syrup or honey on hand in case she has a crash, can use it by putting it on her gums and once her insulin levels come back up, feed her something high in protein to keep them up. Brewers yeast is something good to use, sprinkled on her food, it can (not proven) help keep the insulin levels up. I am not a vet, but recently lost my best ferret to insulinoma, he couldn't have surgery due to his heart, and diet and meds alone just isn't the way to go. Hoping the best for your and your ferret, but the final decision is yours. -- Vicki L. Henderson-aka-Ferret Fanatic Woody, Miss Tizzy, Ginger Snap & General Kaos! Buzz-who will always be in our hearts The Fearless FLO! http://www.geocities.com/vlh1 Ferret Xmas Ornaments: http://members.home.net/ferretfanatic ICQ: 11898312 ----------------------- End of FAIML #403 -------------------------