Endocrine Diseases - Whats happening to your ferret??? - Animals - http://maxpages.com/ferretz/Endocrine

This is a conversation between a vet and a concerned owner.

Owner: Is Pebbles OK? Whats happening to my ferret?

Vet: She appearantly has an endocrine disease called
insulinoma.
Owner: Whats that?

Vet: Insulinoma is the exact opposite of diabetes. The insulin in your ferrets body is too high and it forces her blood sugar down. She is slowing down rapidly. She has lethargy.
She seems normal, but her pancreas and her adrenal
gland are being affected. She is developing pancreatic beta-cell tumors.
Has she been showing any symptoms?

Owner: What are the symptoms?

Vet: She might exhibit lethargy, where your ferets slow down. She can also exhibit "rear-leg weakness". This
might be thought as paralysis of the hind legs, but really the blood sugar is too low to provide the strength needed to use the hind legs. The ferret will
drag his/her legs around instead of using all four legs. The ferret may also hypersalivate and saliva
will dribble out of their mouths. They may also paw
at their mouths.
A rare symptom is when the ferret is too weak to eat.
Rapid weight loss will occur.
If untreated for many months a seizure will occur.
Behavoir will also change.
Owner: She has lethergy and she's been hypersalivating.
Vet: More signs...
Owner: Is their a treatment?
Vet: Yes...

*CONTINUED IN "THE TREATMENT"

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Page Updated Tue Aug 8, 2000 2:57pm EDT