From: Lynn McIntosh [faiml@uswest.net] Sent: Monday, June 21, 1999 7:50 PM To: FAIMLanon; FAIML Subject: FAIML #304; June 21, 1999 Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #304; June 21, 1999 1. Bandit 2. adrenal options 3. Adrenal's History 4. post-op guilt 5. Jasmine 6. upset stomachs 7. Alternatives for Upset Tummies 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 good 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: Bandit From: "Rocky" Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 17:47:27 -0700 Well, the update is not well on Bandi. She had the adrenal surgery in march or april, at this point I can't remember. Now she is doing the same thing all over again. She is now so thin that she fits under the closet doors and she is still mean to all the others and she is very unhappy. I have spoke to a friend that runs the local shelter, he's in our harley club, and he said he'll come to our house and put her down when I ask so she can be put with Badger, her male, in the back yard under the tree. I'm afraid to have the surgery done again. It worked for a while the first time. She is still eating and she is still full of life. When she is worse I will make the phone call. I believe that if I have the surgery done again and have the other one removed then she must be on meds for the rest of her life? Right? I don't want to put her thru that. She hates to be made to do something. My husband and I spoke about it and he feels the same way. Let her have dignity and go in peace, she will let us know when it is time. Until then we just go and get check-ups and hope for the best. Please don't flame for this decision, we love her to much to prolong this for her. The vet said he'll let us know when the time is right if we don't see it. Rocky 2. Subject: adrenal options From: RCant91956@aol.com Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 21:27:43 EDT My 4 year old female, Zoe, has been diagnosed with a variety of problems, one of which is an adrenal tumor. Because of the other medical problems, she is not a candidate for surgery. I need all the information I can get fairly quickly to give to my vet on all the alternative treatments, especially Lupron. I appreciate any info you all can send to me. My email address is RCant91956@aol.com. Thank you very much, Toni 3. Subject: Adrenal's History From: stardust Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 20:39:03 -0500 Hello to everyone and my deepest sympathies to all who have lost their precious fuzzles recently. What I am interested in is obtaining all the information I can on adrenal. What it is and how prevalent it is, do males get it more then females, do American ferrets get it more then European and so forth. I guess I am looking for a sort of history on this topic. I have heard that ferrets that have blackheads on the tail end up with adrenal sooner or later. If anyone can help me to find this information I would greatly appreciate it. I want it all; treatments, advancements, the whole enchilada. I currently own 9 ferrets and I like to do and learn all I can for their benefit. I love them with all my heart and only want the best for them. --Diane-- 4. Subject: post-op guilt From: Andrea M Miralia Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 16:24:45 -0400 Clare and others, I know what you mean about post-op guilt. My Bean died around midnight, too, with very similar symptoms-- a few cries before she stopped breathing in my arms. (I actually did artificial respiration until it occurred to me she wasn't coming back.) Bean had had surgery earlier that day, and her autopsy revealed she had actually begun bleeding from the carcinoma... this was the main reason my vet decided NOT to remove the tumor that morning-- too much risk of blood loss. She died that night from internal bleeding, with no symptoms of distress until the last few minutes. I've nursed her and other ferrets through numerous surgeries, and her recovery that night seemed a little slow, but within the realm of normal. :-( The one solace is that she was in my arms, and that it didn't last very long. Post-operative soreness isn't really suffering compared to how she seemed to feel in those last few minutes. I wish we could take all the pain from them (and all animals.) I have never come to terms with why innocent animals have to suffer at all.... :-( ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrea Miralia miralia@juno.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Subject: Jasmine From: Clare Sebok Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 00:05:27 -0400 (EDT) I just want to thank everyone for the beautiful sympathy messages. We will be out of town for a few days to visit my parents for Father's Day. Finding the energy to prepare for this trip has been hard. We had expected that Jasmine would be well enough to join us. Clare 6. Subject: upset stomachs From: meagan quinn Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 14:45:08 PDT Hi! This is a quickie-- another ferret owner is having a ferret with mucosy diarrhea and all that fun stuff. blch. He is getting great care--but as always isn't improving as they would like him to... i remember dr. karen told us about meds to use INSTEAD of kaopectate or pepto for upset stomachs and diarrhea--anyone remember? i am not at my house and can't find out for her. Please respond to meaganq@hotmail.com or myteekwinn@yahoo.com Thanks! meg 7. Subject: Alternatives for Upset Tummies From: Lynn McIntosh Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 23:14:49 To Megan: Here's the info. In the next list I'll post your question and this answer, and maybe more answers will come out of the woodwork, too. To the list and Dr. Karen: I asked my vet about Pepto and she said she didn't believe it has enough aspirin to irritate the stomach - just one more difference of opinion. Dr. Karen, I'd be interested to hear more about your conclusion, since Pepto has been widely used for ferrets. If there's much chance it will irritate the stomach lining I'd like to avoid it; ferrets have enough problems with ulcers as it is (not to mention they usually hate Pepto!). I've used Sulcralfate plenty. Thanks! Lynn Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #276; April 6, 1999 1. Subject: please post - Pepto vs Kaopectate From: "Karen Purcell, DVM" Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 00:31:42 +0000 And in response to Megan's question... > >Two days later, he had diahria and was diagnosed as having 'stress > >colitus' and was given an antibiotic and put on Pepto Bismo. > > Remember that Pepto is for tummy upset, whereas Kaopectate is for > diarrhea. I have heard of people using the one for the other on > their ferrets (Dr. K? care to comment??) but that's that they are > intended for, for humans. I don't use Pepto anymore, as it contains aspirin, which acts as a stomach irritant! I haven't found Kaopectate to be useful in ferrets at all. I prefer loperamide (Lomotil) for diarrhea, and sucralfate or Tagamet for upset stomachs. -Dr. Karen drkaren@world.std.com currently practicing in Cumberland, RI Ferret Adrenal/Insulinoma Mailing List (FAIML) #279; April 19, 1999 6. Subject: loperamide dose From: "Karen Purcell, DVM" Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 23:43:25 +0000 Jadesun, > Dr. Karen, could you please tell us how much to use say per pound of > fuzzie :o), in "cc" measure. About 0.2cc/1 lb of ferret. -Dr. Karen drkaren@world.std.com currently practicing in Cumberland, RI -------------------- End of FAIML #304 ---------------------