From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2000 1:59 AM
To: FAIMLanon; FAIML
Cc: faiml@uswest.net
Subject: FAIML #440; July 5, 2000

Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #440; July 5, 2000 

1.  Reggie Has Lumps, The Doc Responds
2.  Predisone for Insulinoma
3.  Brewer's Yeast to prevent insulinoma?
4.  Samson Crossed over
5.  An introduction and search for advice
6.  Possible Adrenal/Skin Cancer Need Advive
7.  Possible Adrenal/Skin Cancer Need Advive
8.  Possible Adrenal/Skin Cancer Need Advive
9.  prednisone for insulinoma

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  
<faiml@sttl.uswest.net>.                

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  
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ADRENAL/INSULINOMA WEBSITE:  FAIML ARCHIVES/PHOTOS: 
Past FAIMLs are being archived, with a search feature, on Michael Janke's       
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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: <http://www.ferretcentral.org>.     

THE FERRET MAILING LIST (FML):  The FML has 3,000+ ferret-loving     
subscribers and the topic is simply ferrets, ferrets, and more ferrets.         
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 <first-name> <last-name> in the body of the email.

1.  Reggie Has Lumps, The Doc Responds
Date sent:  Wed, 5 Jul 2000 12:51:35 -0400
From:   "Erin Shepherd" <ees@ahhif.org>

I appreciate several responses i received to my latest post about Reggie, my 5.5 
year old male, having two lumps, one on either side of his spine around his hind 
area.  Dr. Brumfield called and said his blood count is normal, and that the 
lumps are a side effect from the recent Lupron shot he received.  He reminded 
me that Reggie wasn't terribly cooperative that day, and that he had to poke 
Reggie several times to get it all in.  He believes that the lumps are normal, and 
that to aspirate would only draw out the Lupron.  It was a couple more hundred 
dollars to find out that he's all right, but I'm not complaining.  At this point, I'm 
just relieved that it's not lymphoma.  Erin in Tallahassee 
~~<:))))><~~~<:))))><~~~<:))))><~~~~~~ >*)((((((>>><~~ Erin E. 
Shepherd ees@ahhif.org  

Make A Donation To A Great Cause!
http://www.freenet.tlh.fl.us/~wild/index.html

2.  Predisone for Insulinoma
Date sent:   Wed, 5 Jul 2000 13:27:29 +0100
From:   "Ulrike" <ulrike@ferretlove.freeserve.co.uk>

Hi everybody

>> What I would like to know is," Why is Predisone used for insulinoma? "
How does it help?  Thank you for any help you can give.    Dianna and the
Merry Band of Illegals  >>>>

>Prednisone is used in Insulinoma because it raises the blood sugar levels,
and
>helps normalize blood glucose.

Does pred also alow down the growth of the cancer?

Best wishes from
Ulrike

3.  Brewer's Yeast to prevent insulinoma?
Date sent:  Wed, 5 Jul 2000 09:23:15 -0700
From:   "Corrie (MsFerret)" <msferret@bellatlantic.net>

Hi,

I am new here so I hope this question hasn;t already been asked. I am always 
looking for a good ferret vet and was recommened to a Dr. Beeber in NJ. 
Upon my first visit there he suggested I add Brewers yeast to my ferrets food (I 
forgot the amopunt so I have to ask him again) Having problems finding 
Brewer's Yeast. He explained that this helps prevent ferrets from getting 
insulinoma. Does anyone know if their is any truth in this? He also suggested I 
stop feeding my ferret Scuence Diet HKitten and just keep them on their Totally 
Ferret. He sells food in his store. Both Totally Ferret and Scince Diet so I don't 
think this is an attempt to increase his sales. Plus I order my Totally Ferret from 
the Ferret Store through http://www.kistaferret.com They get a percentage of 
your sale as credit in the store if you click on the link on their page:) Cprroe 
(msferret) msferret@bellatlantic.net  

Corrie
The Ferrets: Satchmo,Band-Aid,Flea,Garbonzetta,Zoey,Podo
The Cat: Misty
Visit us at http://www.geocities.com/~loveferrets.indexo.html
Visit my favorite Shelter at http://www.kistaferret.com
Visit and Join Ferret Lovers of New Jersey http://www.lma.com/flnj

4.  Samson Crossed over
Date sent:  Wed, 5 Jul 2000 18:16:27 -0500
From:   "Marge" <dookdook@icss>

Independence Day, 2000, Sammy finally is eating and drinking on his own.  My 
mind wandered and thought of the saying about them getting the better just 
before leaving.  No, he is finally responding to the pred.  

I gave him a bottom shampoo and noticed an unusual hard spot by his rectal 
muscle.  He pushed himself to pee and poop.  Also, he pushed himself on me to 
pee everytime I held him.  

July 5, 2000,  I took the day off of work for a break.  I called the vet. She 
suggested the peeing was his way of saying "don't hand feed me!".  She was 
free until 6 PM.  So I took Sammy in for an exam.  

3:45PM, July 5.  The hard spot by the rectal muscle had tripled in size. The vet 
lanced it to see if it was a cyst.  It was a mass cell tumor.  She found a tumor on 
his penis.  

I said, I wanted surgery.  His chances of coming out were 30 per cent.  I had to 
know what was happening.   I would decide once she went in. Emergency 
surgery done about 4 PM.  

The vet found lymphoma, and his pancreas was all one big tumor.

Sammy was allowed to cross over the bridge.

There is an empty cage in the house, a medicine tray unused, and a heart
breaking tonight.

Margie
Sammy did you have to take my heart with you.
You will be forever missed.

5.  An introduction and search for advice
Date sent:  Wed, 05 Jul 2000 10:11:06 -0700
From:   Anonymous

Hi!  I live in the San Francisco area with my four fur-kids, one of which has 
been battling adrenal disease for over two years now.  Gypsy first started 
showing signs of adrenal disease in January of 1998.  At the time we were living 
in Atlanta, GA and our vet there performed surgery and removed most of the 
right adrenal gland.  She got better for awhile and then started showing 
symptoms again.  This time my vet recommended Lysodren which she was on 
for several months.  Her hair grew back and her vulva swelling went down, but 
giving her the Lysodren became such a fight that it was hurting our relationship 
and since I'd also been hearing alot of contradictory information about the drug, 
we discontinued it's use.   

Around this time we moved to California and a new vet.  Since she was getting 
worse again, I had a second surgery performed.  My doctor explained that the 
tumor was formed around the Vena Cava and he didn't feel he could give her 
more than a 50% chance of surviving the surgery if he performed Vena Cava 
ligation.  Since she is still healthy and happy except for the hair loss, I opted not 
to put that much risk to her life.  He was against using Lysodren again on her 
and the cost of Lupron was prohibitivly expensive (Over $150 a month for the 
rest of her life).  He also said he wasn't convinced that Lupron did more than 
cover the symptoms and said it wouldn't cure her, so this didn't seem like much 
of an alternative.  

In summary, she has gone through surgery twice and been on Lysodren for a 
short while but is off it now.  She still has boundless energy, eats well, and in all 
ways appears healthy except for the fact she is now mostly bald. She is about 5 
years old now, and since both she and my bank account have recovered from 
her last surgery, I'm looking for more treatment suggestions and 
recommendations for other vets in the San Fransisco/San Jose area who may 
have more treatment options available.  Thanks for any advice.  

Mary Lyn

6.  Possible Adrenal/Skin Cancer Need Advive
Date sent:   Wed, 05 Jul 2000 11:50:20 -0700
From:   "Rob"

HI Corrie,

I had the exact same problem. Junior was 2 years old and he started to lose hair 
on the extremities and between the shoulders. All of a sudden one day he 
developed the orange crusts/excretions and they were on the extremities (paws 
and tail) and around his nose and eyes. I noticed that the eyes were irritated by 
that. In some areas they seemed like orange powder. This was so sudden that 
we were afraid that he had an infectious disease. The vet even considered 
distemper. He had blood test and came back positive for adrenal disease. His 
right gland was removed even though it was not larger but the vet saw a slight 
difference in color.  

After surgery the orange crusts/excretions disappeared!

I asked many people about this orange stuff and actually it is not very common 
but it is caused by adrenal disease.  

Hope I helped you........

Rob

7.  Possible cancer/orange spots on skin
Date sent:   Wed, 5 Jul 2000 11:43:15 EDT
From:    EquineAmy@aol.com

Hi Corrie,

I just wanted to let you know that I had a similar problem with my Connor.  He 
was 1.5 at the time (now 2.5).  At 1.5 he was diagnosed with a right adrenal 
tumor and we took the Lurpon option.  He had these orange spots in all of his 
bald spots and of course I paniced.  What my vet told me they were was some 
sort of reaction from his saliva/mucous from when he itched himself with his 
mouth. He said it was nothing to worry about.  Well a little over a year later 
after three one month shot lurpon injections, Connor is doing amaizing.  Weighs 
over three pounds and has a coat as beautiful as could be.  No balding at all, no 
orange spots, barely itchy.  I am not sayind that is what your ferret has, however 
it does sound very similar to what Connor had. Good luck, Amy, Winnie, Chloe 
and Connor  

8.  Possible cancer/orange spots on skin
Date sent:  Wed, 5 Jul 2000 10:04:16 -0400
From:   "Melissa" <melissa-blake@worldnet.att.net>

>4.  Possible Adrenal/Skin Cancer Need Advive
>Date sent:  Tue, 4 Jul 2000 15:07:07 -0700
>From:   "Corrie (MsFerret)" <msferret@bellatlantic.net>

Hairloss and orange spots and itchiness are ALL symptoms of adrenal disease. 
The orange spots and itchiness are most likely caused by the adrenal problem 
and may not be from a separate condition like skin cancer.  

-Melissa

_________________________________
http://members.aol.com/NYCFerrets
http://home.att.net/~The_Ferrets
__________________________________

9.  prednisone for insulinoma
Date sent:  Thu, 06 Jul 2000 00:46:07 -0400
From:  "Ferret Fanatic" <ferretfanatic@home.com>

>From what I understand, prednisone helps to regulate blood sugar, also
helps in keeping the tumors from growing quickly.  But it isn't a cure,
just a delay tactic.

-- 
Vicki L. Henderson-aka-Ferret Fanatic
Woody, Miss Tizzy, Ginger Snap, General Kaos & Taylor!
(New home to "The Instigator"!)
Sadly missing "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

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