Pred Belly Solutions?

[jrosebooks]

Do you know of any solutions for pred belly?

My old ferret Chloe has been on pred for about a year now. She is about 6-7. She was just at the vet for a bad back rash a month ago, and had her new adrenal implant put in. (So the vet didn't suspect cancer or anything). I've fostered/cared for a few hospice ferrets now, so the rescue and I are confident it's pred belly.

But I can't seem to find any solutions online. 

Her glucose levels were really bad at the vet, so she's now taking depomedrol shots once a month. (First one was 4/2). On top of 0.3 Prednisone 2x/day. (PS. We have trustworthy ferret vets in the S. Denver area)

Other factors:

- She still has good stools
- Her hind legs are starting to have trouble (from Pred, like normal)
- She's still curious, but explores for shorter time periods
- Healthy whiskers
- NO pawing at the mouth


So far all I can think of is Uncle Jim's Duck Soup (probiotics). It's only made a positive impact to her stools, and general well-being.

She will sleep too long, so I make sure she eats regularly. I give her wet food in morning/night, so she gets some good substance (turkey baby food & wet ground normal food). Then allow her to eat the crunchies during the day, for those benefits.


Have you found any solutions for pred belly that work?

Chloe is particularly special to me, so I'd love her to live more than 3 months... And if I'm lucky have AT LEAST one more healthy month!


Thanks,
- J Rose

PS. My first post, although I've been lurking here for a decade.

[msav]

Some ferrets do really well on Pred and some can't handle it at all. we had a ferret with Lymphoma that could not handle the pred at all (runny stools and ulcers). we ended up getting a monthly shot instead. Not sure what it was be he handled that pretty well for 3 months and then started having hacking uncontrollably right after the shot, he would stop a few days before it was time to get the shot again.
we ended up going the Holistic route and was able control the lymphoma symptoms for almost a year before they all started growing and making him painfully uncomfortable.

sometimes Pred can be a blessing or a curse.

here is hoping for more good days than bad days for your little one.

[Corvidophile]

There is another oral 2x daily med you can try for low glucose: diazoxide. It’s more expensive, a three month supply generally costs me $137. It’s working wonders at controlling my ferret’s blood sugar.

[unclejoe]

Hekllo and welcome..
I've had a couple ferts on pred for adrenal for well over a year and never developed pred belly Abita was on pred for 2 years and lived almost to 8, but the 2 that were on it for lymphoma did grow bellies, and it wasn't a result of the pred but tumor growth. Both were males and had comorbid adrenal and lymphoma at the end. One presented with lymphoma initially and the other adrenal but in the end it was just too much for them.  Larry made it to 6 and Sumo to just 3.  Both were fed dry cat food by their original owners.
Diazoxide is an option that most reserve till late because of the cost and the side effects and diminishing effectiveness of pred.  
I think lymphoma is a possibility, sorry to say.  It often goes with adrenal after time.  Larry's got to his liver and Sumo's came on so fast side by side with his adrenal there was little time to treat.  He barely lasted 3 months from onset of clinical signs.

[msav]

I think the key to Pred is the dosage. if a low dose helps then they can generally tolerate it pretty well. The issue is the lower does eventually stops working and you have to increase the dose, once the dose is high enough you inevitably start having the pred issues. if you catch the issues early you can use low dose pred for years without having to up the dosage. if it is caught to late the pred dose may be too high for them to live comfortably with.

Pred is also used to treat several different Ferret illnesses, so it is the go to treatment for most vets.

[unclejoe]

Apr 29, 2022 16:32:18 GMT -5 msav said:

I think the key to Pred is the dosage. if a low dose helps then they can generally tolerate it pretty well. The issue is the lower does eventually stops working and you have to increase the dose, once the dose is high enough you inevitably start having the pred issues. if you catch the issues early you can use low dose pred for years without having to up the dosage. if it is caught to late the pred dose may be too high for them to live comfortably with.

Pred is also used to treat several different Ferret illnesses, so it is the go to treatment for most vets.

That is a very important point. If you are treating for lymphoma, you are more limited, but if for insulinoma frequent BG tests will probably allow you to start at low doses and continue for a long time.  Abita was on pred for over 2 years, and she never got a belly.