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Post by Corvidophile on Jul 12, 2019 16:58:18 GMT -5
Winnipeg wasn’t eating right, so I got a blood test done, and the findings were high count of red blood cells and a glucose of 50. I was given prednisolone, 0.2 ml every 12 hours, and a follow up appointment eight days from now. I’ll keep this thread updated with any news or weird occurrences. He’s now four and a half years old.
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Post by unclejoe on Jul 14, 2019 18:18:12 GMT -5
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Post by Heather on Jul 15, 2019 9:55:03 GMT -5
So sorry, but once the BG is regulated your little one will feel so much better. Just remember to hand feed a bit of food before giving the pred (it's just a reminder), if you've played the game before you know already. Hugs to your little one that he feels better soon ciao
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Post by Corvidophile on Jul 15, 2019 19:50:18 GMT -5
Thanks for the well wishes and tips, don’t worry about being redundant, it’s better than there being a surprise gap in knowledge that should’ve been learned years ago. Good to know Abita is still going strong!
My husband and I are now very fluid at restraining him, pulling open a lip, and shooting the meds into the gap of his clenched teeth. He tries to block with his tongue so that the meds drool right back out of his mouth, but the tongue can only block one side at a time, so I just have to look where he’s left an opening this time. As soon as they’re in he’s offered a little saucer of oil to wash it down. Tonight he let his displeasure be known by sour stinking my shirt! I don’t know whether he has part of a scent gland left or what, but this sour scent has happened a few times over the years.
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Post by unclejoe on Jul 16, 2019 14:35:14 GMT -5
Dar24 scruffs to give meds. I poke the syringe gently but firmly around the side of the mouth and eventually the mouth opens. I squirt at the side of the mouth rather than the throat t prevent gagging/aspiration. Then I hold the syringe in the mouth a couple seconds while they swallow. Once they've been on meds for a while, they get used to this procedure, tho they still hate the meds. Ours is compounded with poultry flavor. You could suck up a little oil after the med to help hide the flavor.
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Post by Corvidophile on Jul 20, 2019 11:20:30 GMT -5
Good news, his glucose went up to 101. We’re staying at 0.2 mL’s twice a day for now. Still waiting on the rest of the blood results to see if his red blood cell count is still high. He’s also gained 2/10’s of a pound in a week- he’s eating more, but I think some of this is water retention in response to the prednisolone, does that happen?
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Post by Sherry on Jul 21, 2019 8:58:18 GMT -5
Oh that's good news the meds are regulating his sugars
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Post by unclejoe on Jul 26, 2019 6:29:52 GMT -5
I haven't seen water retention due to pred. It's probably just eating more. Beedee's been on it for almost 2 years and she's not fat.
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Post by Corvidophile on Aug 3, 2019 6:48:53 GMT -5
We have changed the way we give the meds- he was struggling so much there was fear he’d twist his dang neck off of his body, and he managed to fling medication from his mouth into my husband’s eyes twice, so now we wrap him in a towel burrito except for the head popping out and my husband wears safety glasses! It goes faster because of the burrito, and he has begun opening his mouth to smack in disgust instead of making me shoot it between his teeth, where we lost some to drool. They never did call back about the second red blood cell count, so I’m assuming it wasn’t noteworthy.
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Post by Corvidophile on Aug 16, 2019 11:52:31 GMT -5
As of today his glucose is 75, vet said to stay with current dosage. It’s about five hours since he both last ate and was medicated. Also finally got back the red blood cell count, that was 60.
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Post by unclejoe on Aug 19, 2019 16:31:08 GMT -5
Isn't t he red count a little high? Better than low, tho. BG value is good for fasting with or without insulinoma. As I said, Abita has been on a low dose for 2 years and she just turned 7. She is our longest living insulinoma patient.
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Post by Corvidophile on Aug 20, 2019 8:09:07 GMT -5
unclejoe Yes, the doctor was perplexed by it. It was higher when I first brought him in a month ago (never got the exact number, just that it was concerning) and the decrease is chalked up to being rehydrated by eating more, but not much other information was offered up.
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Post by unclejoe on Aug 21, 2019 6:23:59 GMT -5
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cockneyferret
Adolescent Member
Raw and Whole Prey Feeder
Posts: 253
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Post by cockneyferret on Aug 21, 2019 6:53:28 GMT -5
That's a very good link Unclejoe.
Cheers
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Post by peacexlovexpets on Aug 21, 2019 21:38:56 GMT -5
Were you initially scuffing when you gave meds?
I have a noodle that will only eat via syringe (reason is still pending, we need to run more tests) and after about three days of scruff feeding he figured it out and is all good for us now.
The trick is to get the syringe between the back teeth and aim for the roof of the mouth. It also helps if you dip the tip of the syringe in some salmon oil, so they are more willing to allow you to put it in their mouth as they try to lick it off, and then give them their meds. But oil after the meds is a great trick too because it trains them that they get a treat, so it is easier to allow it to happen quickly so they can get their treat faster.
I personally haven't had to deal with insulinoma yet, but I have four ferrets, so I'm trying to learn everything I can so it doesn't sneak up on us.
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