From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Friday, November 10, 2000 11:50 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Cc: faiml@uswest.net Subject: FAIML #479; Nov. 10, 2000 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #479; Nov. 10, 2000 There are seven messages in today's list: Jillian Update Good bye to Bandit, The 'Ditman lupron dosage insulinomas & cardiomyopathy? cardio & pred Herb use in ferrets Tennesse Adrenal Panel FERRET ADRENAL/INSULINOMA MAILING LIST (FAIML) is a list featuring support and information about adrenal and insulinoma diseases. It comes out in digest format three to six times per week, depending on the urgency and number of posts. It is the opinion, only, of subscribers, and is not intended as 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 exhibiting signs of illness please take him or her to the most ferret-experienced vet you can. A ferret-experienced vet is one of the most important services you can provide for 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 and FAIML ARCHIVES/PHOTOS: For more info, check out Michael Janke's adrenal/insulinoma web site: . Past FAIMLs are archived there, with a search feature, and there is a FAIML album featuring pictures of FAIML subscribers and their ferrets. 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. Date sent: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 09:19:35 -0600 From: "Hehl, Ann" Subject: Jillian Update An Update: Jillian had a blood glucose yesterday and it was 48! Surgery is scheduled for next Tues. Keep her in your prayers and thanks for your information. Ann Date sent: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 17:41:47 EST From: LDarkes@aol.com Subject: Good bye to Bandit, The 'Ditman I would like to thank all of you who wrote to me in sympathy of losing Aislyn and with suggestions for Bandit. Your support means a lot to me. My Bandit died last night. His kidney levels had improved during the day and I was feeling more hopeful about his recovery. I picked him up from our regular clinic and stopped by home to feed and medicate him before taking him to the emergency clinic for the night. As I held him, Bandit's breathing became ragged, then very labored. He gasped a couple times and was gone. It happened very quickly. Ironically, as he died he completely emptied his bladder as he hadn't been able to do for days. Maybe he was telling me he's all better now. People may wonder why I would elect to put an 8 year old ferret with insulinoma, adrenal disease and cardiomyopathy through surgery in the first place. To understand, you'd have to know a bit about him. Bandit came to us on December 15, 1992 as a little kit. We had gone into a pet store for some cat food and saw him. Jack and I played with him for some time, then left. I had called him Bandit and talked about him on the way home. Jack surprised me by saying, "Well if you want him, we should go back and get him before someone else does". We hadn't really talked about getting a ferret, but we headed right back to the pet store and paid for him and asked that they keep him until the following day so we could prepare for him. We the purchased all the books we could find, which weren't many back then, and all the supplies we needed. And then, Bandit came home. He was into everything and was quickly nicknamed the Investigator, as nothing in (and sometimes out of) his reach went unexplored. We would learn later that this was pretty normal ferret behavior, but Bandit was our first and to us, such a novel little guy. Bandit was never a cuddler or a lap ferret. He liked action. He loved to run up and down the stairs with his toys. He had this certain gallop in his step that made the jingle of his collar so distinct. We always knew when Bandit was coming. He's the only one of our ferrets who truly enjoyed walking on a leash. I used to take him for walks on the cool winter evenings (we live in FL) and he would want to keep going forever. Each evening, he'd wait by the front door for these walks. When he was our only ferret, and even when his brother Gandalf joined us, he would often accompany me to work and on short business trips. His very favorite thing was our autumn trips to North Carolina. While his brothers and sisters preferred the warm comfort of their travel cage, Bandit enjoyed shuffling through the fallen leaves and sticking his face in icy cold river waters. Even our last trip up there, when he had been diagnosed with insulinoma for over a year, Bandit was there with me hiking up the mountain, refusing my attempts to carry him. During the past year, his health really started to decline. He couldn't get up and down the stairs anymore, although he would try so hard. He lost his vision, which made the stairs off limits all together. Then, his medications no longer effectively controlled his blood sugar; and he developed adrenal disease. In spite of all of this, he was determined to continue exploring. He was not content to spend his remaining time here quietly. Since Bandit didn't seem ready to give up on this life, I wouldn't either. I don't regret having the surgery done; the existence Bandit had prior to surgery was not the life he had so enjoyed. I know he has that life again now. Bandit, my little boy, I miss you more that words can say. Thank you for staying for much longer than you should have. I know you did that for me. Thank you for waiting until you came home before you left so I could hold you one last time. I think of you now with your best buddy Gandalf, and Jasmine, Aislyn and Amber, and know you are much happier there than you were here. Play again, 'Ditman, and tumble and bounce and boing about like you haven't been able to do in so long. When I see you again, we'll find a mountain to climb. I will always hold you close in my heart. Til we meet again… With all my love Your Mom, Lucie, Missing you terribly with your Dad, Jack and brothers and sisters, Mandrake, Merlin, Myst, Clarence, Jessie, and Sarah, and your feline friend Binks Date sent: Tue, 7 Nov 2000 17:44:31 -0500 From: "buzz4" Subject: lupron dosage Hello  I'm thinking about putting my 4yr old female ferret on Lupron treatment. I need help to determine which dosage should be administered. Are there much side affects?  Thank You Kathy Buzz4@gateway.net Date sent: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 00:08:12 -0500 From: "Ferret Fanatic" Subject: insulinomas & cardiomyopathy? The medications, from my experience, for cardiomyopathy and insulinoma sort of cancel each other out. It's a constant battle, between the fluid build ups and the prednisone causing fluid build ups. Good luck with your sick fuzzy. 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 Date sent: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 21:58:47 -0800 From: "Deborah Magerr" Subject: cardio & pred My Sid is currently on Lasix. We added pred and he seems to feel much better, although I dont think the Lasix is working anymore. I think I'm going to try a different diuretic (as suggested by my vet) to see if the fluid goes down again. Anyone have luck switching diuretics after one stopped working?? Debbie & Sid ---------------- Sent from a WebBox - http://www.webbox.com FREE Web based Email, Files, Bookmarks, Calendar, People and Great Ways to Share them with Others! Date sent: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 21:15:25 -0800 From: "FerretGirl" Subject: Herb use in ferrets Hi All, I'm new to the list. My 4 year old boy is in the process of adrenal diagnosis...not yet confirmed. He DOES have an enlarged prostrate however and reccuring UTI's. Q: Has anyone ever used a combo of Cat's Claw and Saw Palm Meadow (sp?) to reduce enlarged prostrate? Are these herbs SAFE for ferrets? What dosage would one give to a 4lb. ferret? I read these herbs have done wonders for canines and rodents. I was just CURIOUS if they might help ferrets. I would never give anything to my ferret that might harm him, but I know some herbs can help. My vet does not believe in herbal remedies, so he gave a thumbs down. I'm willing to try anything that does not harm my boy. I personally take herbs. Some work, some don't. Thanks and Well Wishes to all the sick fuzzies, FG theglobe.com Your friendly full-service integrated online community. http://www.theglobe.com Date sent: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 18:59:10 EST From: Cjbandit@aol.com Subject: Tennesse Adrenal Panel In a message dated 11/6/00 10:09:47 PM Eastern Standard Time, faiml@uswest.net writes: << elf24gal@myfavoritei.com >> Why not ask your vet to run a test called "The Tennessee Panel" which will tell you right away if he has adrenal disease. I would not do surgery unless your a 100% sure that's what's going on and waiting for more symptoms is not a good idea. It's a good idea to have your vet do an ultra sound to determine which adrenal if not both are affected so he has idea what he's up against before the actual surgery. The right adrenal can be much more complicated and in either case the surgery requires an experienced vet. I would make sure yours has done these types of surgeries on ferrets in the past and ask him his success rate. If you have any questions you can e-mail me directly. Hope this helps, Christina ---------------------- End of FAIML #479------------------------