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Post by lyles on Sept 3, 2014 0:56:14 GMT -5
I'd like to know when would be a time where euthanasia would be appropriate for a ferret suffering from advanced adrenal.
Personally, I believe that euthanasia would be appropriate when the animal's suffering, or lack of quality of life, outweighs its benefit to being alive.
However, I'm on the fence with my ferret Crystal. On one hand, the implants have made her hair regrow completely (except for a bald spot on her shoulder blades where the implants are) and her muscle tone is good with no hind leg weakness. On the other hand, she no longer plays and is unable to stay conscious without scratching non stop, she finds relief in sleeping so that's all she does now. To me it is a miserable existence, but aside from the severe itching her body looks fine.
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Post by Heather on Sept 3, 2014 1:47:06 GMT -5
Are you using both DES and melatonin?
ciao
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Post by lyles on Sept 3, 2014 2:34:52 GMT -5
Are you using both DES and melatonin? ciao Yes, and together they proved great in the regrowth of her hair, but the itching only got worse. |
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Post by racheld on Sept 3, 2014 2:45:45 GMT -5
Have you talked to your vet about possible relief for her?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 6:49:33 GMT -5
One of my ferrets used to itch like that and it was awful to watch. The vet gave my little one prednisone injections and that really helped for about a day but then the itching came back. I think it would be torturous to live like that if there was no relief from it. If she has no quality of life then maybe you need to consider your options. I understand your reluctance though, its a terrible decision to have to make  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 7:48:46 GMT -5
It is so sad. Wished there was something we could do to prevent adrenal disease.
As my babies deteriorate, I have decided to put them to sleep.
My little didi at 6.5 years old lost mobility in her back legs. She had a episode in the middle of floor--- her body drawed up and her little hairs stood out like a porcupine. I did not touch her because i felt she was in pain. when she came out of it, she was dragging her legs. what was so sad was when she tried to walk, she turned around and looked at her back legs--like, why arent y'all working. When she did that, I decided to put her to sleep. She was my first ferret. I was not feeding raw back then. On the way to put her to sleep, I stopped at grocery store and got her some gerber baby food turkey--She liked that, and i gave that to her for snacks.
I cry when i think about it. She is buried with my others in flower bed next to my house.
Yes, sometimes it is best to let them go ---but you know that is just my opinion.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 8:46:39 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you're going through this, it's so hard when it comes the time to make a decision. I had a ferret, Neichei, she had insulinoma, and even while taking three different medicines every 12 hours for months, she still had seizures, and her leg weakness was so severe she could barely play. I held on to her, I didn't want to let her go.
But, you have to think about it. Ferret life is playing, that's what they love. Playing, and exploring, and having no boundaries. When they can't have that anymore, than it's time to consider helping them cross the rainbow bridge.
My Juliet has adrenal, and it early in her disease, but I understand completely how hard it is to go through watching your babies deteriorate so quickly. Best wishes to you, I know you'll do what's right, whatever decision that may be.
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Post by bitbyter on Sept 3, 2014 10:45:02 GMT -5
Actually I've wondered this myself. With insulinoma it is usually pretty obvious but what are the late stages of Adrenal disease even with medication?
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Post by fretki on Sept 3, 2014 10:52:18 GMT -5
I had to go trough many such decisions, I hope you will feel when the moment is right, unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question.
A thing you can try if itching is really bad besides adrenal treatment (deslorelin and melatonin), is adding evening primrose oil to her diet. I made good experience with it for very itchy ferrets as part of the treatment plan: It doesn't buy time but gives comfort.
Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards
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Post by lyles on Sept 3, 2014 11:15:06 GMT -5
I had to go trough many such decisions, I hope you will feel when the moment is right, unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. A thing you can try if itching is really bad besides adrenal treatment (deslorelin and melatonin), is adding evening primrose oil to her diet. I made good experience with it for very itchy ferrets as part of the treatment plan: It doesn't buy time but gives comfort. Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards Thank you for the tip! I'll give the Primrose a try. I decided that I would watch her and if her health worsens that is when I'll take her to the vet to be put to sleep. Both the vet and me agreed that a large part of it is behavioral, so I will try positive reinforcement to see if that would lessen her scratching. |
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Post by lyles on Sept 3, 2014 11:52:11 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2014 12:03:14 GMT -5
I hope this helps Crystal. Itching is no fun, especially for a little one who is already feeling ill.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 3, 2014 14:52:38 GMT -5
As long as she doesn't have insulinoma I find reishi mushroom helps a LOT with the adrenal itchies. You can also speak to your vet about low doses of children's benadryl long term as the itchiness is generally caused by histamines in the system.
As for when it's time, almost all of our adrenal ferrets displayed the same symptoms late stage. Symptoms would recur faster and faster even with increasing meds(we did lupron at the time), and finally they all developed large masses and at that point it was a matter of days.
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Post by bitbyter on Sept 3, 2014 14:57:37 GMT -5
@sherry, so the drugs just don't treat the symptoms anymore? What is quality of life like up until the end? Is it a slow decline of Q.O.L or is it more sudden? Just curious as I haven't had to deal with Adrenal yet (knock on wood) and it's not a topic I see come up often.
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Post by fretki on Sept 4, 2014 4:51:59 GMT -5
Don't mix fish and primrose oil, the primrose will have less effect. Use primrose oil for a full week and then only every second day.
Sent from my SM-G900F using proboards
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