Ferret liver disease

Re: Ferret liver disease

Helen Redfern — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 16:36:29 GMT

We managed to source some from Nova Labs.

Many thanks

Helen

Re: Ferret liver disease

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 19:00:04 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Not allowed to order!

[/quote]

Why not?

We get ours from local pharmacy (a Lloyds pharmacy I believe) on private prescription for named patients. I haven't had to request any for a couple of months though so perhaps something has changed in the meantime?

Marie

Re: Ferret liver disease

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 18:18:21 GMT

Not allowed to order!

Who is the veterinary surgeon?

Wynne

Re: Ferret liver disease

Helen Redfern — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 12:22:38 GMT

Can you suggest where you can source diazoxide from as NVS, Boots, Tesco and local pharmacy have all drawn a blank?

Many thanks

Helen

Re: Ferret liver disease

Mark Rowland — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:57:37 GMT

Its nice when they are co operative

Samylin comes in sachets, go for the dog dose.

Broad spectrum antibiotics for a month if funds allow and then recheck liver parameters.

Mark

Re: Ferret liver disease

CatherineThomas — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:29:08 GMT

Thanks. Unfortunately I don't think surgery is going to be an option. The owner really loves the ferret and wants to do what they can, but they really can't afford surgery, particularly if theres a good chance surgery may not be curative.

Would you use SAMe at the same doses for dogs? I'll have to try to work out how we can do that as we're only allowed to order denamarin and we're not usually allowed to split bottles, so that might also work out too expensive.

Fortunately the ferret is really good which makes things so much easier as we've been able to do everything conscious. I'm used to having to be a bit wary with ferrets but the owner even manages to put her fingers in this ones mouth to get the tablets into him as he will eat around them otherwise. And he hasn't once tried to bite us despite everything we've done to him.

Re: Ferret liver disease

Mark Rowland — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:31:56 GMT

The difficulty is finding them as they can be multiple and are not always in the pancreas. Also metastatic disease (e.g. to the liver is possible). If it were me I would be going for a liver biopsy at this stage with a look for any obvious insulinomata in the pancreas at the same time. I wound want a gross look at this liver as ive got a feeling it isnt going to look too good. If you get through the surgery I would give supportive care until it has healed then go for the preds. I would be happier on this path with a definitive liver diagnosis in my hand. For supportive care, a liver supplement (e.g. samylin) wouldnt hurt along with the rest of your treatment.

Good work up so far, keep it up!

Goodluck, Mark

Re: Ferret liver disease

CatherineThomas — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:44:56 GMT

He has gained a little weight and is apparently a little brighter over the past couple of days. The owner can't afford too much, diazoxide is too expensive so we're trying him on preds.

How difficult are ferret insulinomas to operate on? and what are the chances of making him diabetic?

Re: Ferret liver disease

CatherineThomas — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:03:15 GMT

The blood glucose today was 3.3

The liver looked normal to me, compared to dog and cat livers. There was a small gall bladder and there weren't any obvious lumps. I couldn't see the pancreas or the adrenals.

Re: Ferret liver disease

CatherineThomas — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:54:51 GMT

Thanks. The glucose was from a glucometer so it should be relatively accurate. But I'm not sure if he had been eating over the past few days so wasn't sure if it could go that low just from not eating. I was planning to re-check his blood glucose when I see him again.

Wouldn't an insulinoma be quite small and difficult to see on ultrasound? I've never been able to see a dogs pancreas on ultrasound so I doubt I would see a ferret pancreas.

Re: Ferret liver disease

Marie Kubiak — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 16:11:27 GMT

If you are confident of the accuracy of the glucose (handheld glucometers tend to be fairly accurate for ferrets) then insulinoma is highly likely alongside liver disease. If glucose is less than 3.4mmol/l then there is an insulinoma till proven otherwise! You can use preds for this if repeat tests are consistent but diazoxide or surgical resection of any discrete pancreatic nodules is preferable.

I would want to scan this ferret to assess liver fully, as well as the pancreas (and adrenals while you're there!). A concurrent liver neoplasm or other pathology could easily be present.

Aleutian disease is unusual in the UK and wouldn't be top of my list of differentials, but if you want to probe a bit deeper blood/saliva samples can be tested though sensitivity is not brilliant.

Marie