A Diagnosis (sort of). Advice, please?

[brittanyb]

Well, I took Finn back to the vet today. For those who didn't see my last post, a couple of weeks ago I took Finn in to see the vet because he had been weak and lethargic, and was slightly dehydrated. His vitals were good (minus a slightly fast heartbeat, likely caused by dehydration) and his glucose was normal at 140, so he was given subcutaneous fluids and sent home with a dose of Pred. He started to perk up on the Pred and seemed to be back to normal, so the vet wanted to see how he did without it.

About a day after stopping the Pred, his symptoms returned, to a slightly lesser degree. So I brought him back in today. It wasn't his usual doctor because she was out, but rather the other exotic vet at their office. Again, his vitals were good. He wasn't dehydrated, but his gums were slightly pale, which the doctor thinks is likely anemia. He said he suspected adrenal (Finn is rather itchy and shedding a lot, but it's the time of year for it). I honestly was suspecting that myself, just really hoping that wasn't the problem, since Finn is only a year and a half old. So we did the DES implant to see if that helps him, which the doc is confident that it will.

I was planning to get the implant for him in the fall anyway, so I'm happy to have it done. Still, I'm left with a lot of anxiety and unanswered questions. The vet said Finn could have multiple issues, like insulinoma, in conjunction with adrenal. Really, with a BG of 140? That didn't make any sense to me. He also suggested lymphoma could potentially be present? Maybe he's just trying to cover all of the bases just in case, but it only succeeded in worrying me even more. He also concerned me by saying that the DES could last a year, but could potentially last just A MONTH. What? Everything I've read said they can last from 6 months to a year. I'm willing to give him as many as he needs, but again, it scares me to think that he might be at a point where even the implant can't help him for long...

Did I maybe misunderstand him? It's possible that I just jumped straight to panic mode, considering that I went through a couple of devastating losses with two of my pets last year (senior cat to esophageal cancer, and my elderly female ferret to insulinoma). Even going to the vet's office for annual checkups gives me so much anxiety now.

Anyway, I would appreciate any and all opinions/comments on this. Also, is there anything else I should be doing to help Finn?

[Charlie]

My ferret is around the same age as yours. I'm always worried about that stuff too. But I do my best to give him the best I can with raw food and a DES implant and to try and stay on top of everything. You are doing everything you possibly can for Finn, but sadly, we can't control their genetics. Just keep doing what you are doing and providing them the best you can and lots of love because these amazing creatures aren't with us for very long no matter how hard we try.

[Heather]

When treating adrenal, it's customary to renew the implant every 6 months. I don't see insulinoma, but from the information you've given including the anemia, adrenal is a good diagnosis. Lymphoma is always in the background and not something we can ever really escape as long as we keep ferrets. It's just a reality we have to face. It does sound like he's covering his bases because he made what he considers a good diagnosis regarding the adrenal. His BG may drop a bit once the adrenal is treated but it's high enough it should still be in the safe zones. Hopefully, with the adrenal treated he will recover without further issues. The only consideration is the timing of the implant. I've had the greatest success with the biannual implant. It appears to prevent breakthrough symptoms which appears to cause the disease to escalate and progress
ciao

[brittanyb]

Thank you both for your responses. I think I've just been a little too anxious and worried about my fuzzy. It breaks my heart to see him so lethargic and just so different to his usual energetic self. I tend to immediately jump to the worst-case scenario.

I will definitely be getting him implanted with the DES every 6 months. And he's still on Pred for now, so that should help keep his BG regulated if it *does* drop a bit due to the implant.

Follow up questions: Is it normal for them to initially be more tired after getting the implant? Finn has been even more out of it today. Also, how long does it normally take for adrenal symptoms (especially the lethargy, as that is the most worrying one for me right now) to subside? I read about 2 weeks. Has this been your experience as well?

[brittanyb]

Finn has pretty much just been laying around. He will walk a couple feet, and then lay back down. He seems to have zero energy. He's still eating and drinking right now, but I'm just so concerned about him.

The vet also said that Finn's spleen was enlarged, which apparently is common in ferrets. Is it normal for me to be able to feel it? I can actually feel lumps on both of his sides, the left one is bigger than the right. Are those the adrenal glands I feel? Is that normal?

I should have asked more questions at the vet, but I was exhausted and not thinking clearly. Should I insist on an ultrasound/X-rays? I'm so afraid they've missed something. I wasn't aware that this extreme lethargy was an adrenal symptom. I also don't understand why the Pred isn't perking him up at all... Should I just be patient and wait for the DES to kick in?

If anyone has any input, I will greatly appreciate it.

[brittanyb]

Sorry for blowing up this thread, I'm just at a loss. I'm concerned that Finn's weakness and lethargy is due to the anemia that the vet said "might" be present. Finn's gums and nose are pale (and were at the vet's office as well), and he said that Finn didn't appear dehydrated, so I'm wondering why the doc didn't test him to see if he *is* in fact anemic? And give me some meds? He's taking Prednisolone, but doesn't he also need iron and vitamins?

I understand that adrenal disease can cause anemia, but am I supposed to be waiting for the implant to start working to fix this? I know that anemia can cause ferrets to rapidly decline, so I want to make sure I'm doing all I can for Finn.

I'm going to call the vet with these questions in the morning, but I figured I would also seek the advice of experienced ferret owners too. Thanks in advance.

[Heather]

To test for anemia, they would have to run a cbc....this can be quite stressful (heavy blood draw with some ferrets requiring a bump anaesthesia). It can provide a lot of information and it also can raise a lot of questions too....so that would need to be discussed with your vet to find out of the risks outweigh the benefits. It takes 2 weeks for the DES before you see any real results and they can feel a bit "off". Enlarged spleen is a common issue in ferrets, sometimes the adrenal can cause this, so can a low grade infection and/or lymphoma. The poor colour would be what your vet is using to diagnose the anemia. The vet is hoping that his body will start to recover when it's not fighting adrenal, balancing vit and iron can be difficult. Do you feed raw?
ciao

[brittanyb]

I sincerely hope that his body will start to recover as well, but the vet doesn't seem optimistic, since Finn is acting more than a little off, unfortunately. We are doing an ultrasound tomorrow to check for lymphomas. The vet also said Finn could possibly have an autoimmune issue. But he essentially told me that he doesn't think Finn's prognosis is good...

And no, we aren't feeding raw yet. Have been researching to make the switch. For now they are eating Wysong. Finn is still eating and drinking on his own somewhat, but I bought some Carnivore Care to help him get the proper nutrients and hydration.

I'm praying he makes a recovery. My sweet boy is only a year and nine months old.

[brittanyb]

Finn seems to have a bit more energy today. He greeted me this morning at the cage door when I went in to let him out, and he put up a fight when it was time for his meds. He was able to walk around without needing to stop and rest as much. He drank some water and ate some food, and I gave him some Carnivore Care as well. He's nowhere near where he was before as far as energy level and alertness, but I'm hoping he will continue to improve. I will update again tomorrow morning after his ultrasound.