Jaffa had a crash today... We have had like 6 ferrets with insulinoma and he is the first one we have that has crashed.. He was fine this morning when i gave him pred and soups at 7am,, at around 8;30 Dar was getting ready to head out and noticed him trying to walk in the bedroom and he couldn't keep his back legs under him.. Picked him up,, put him in cage.. his eyes looked funny.. made him a fresh batch of soup and encouraged him to eat off her fingers.. he wouldn't eat out of the bowl.. he didn't want treats or bones.. which is sure sign something is wrong.. then we tried repeatedly to get a bg from him.. no success finally gave him some syrup and .1ml of liquid pred on top of what I had already given him at 7... Called the vet and promptly drove him there for an appt... by the time we got him there he was coming out of it.. pretty much he was zoned out and having tics.. (possible seizures we think).. Vet gave us some tips one what to do with him or any of the others when he crashes like this.. gave us a prescript for pill form prednisolone since he hates the liquid.. and sent us on our way.. Right now he is resting comfortably, had a full bowl of soup and some extra pred to help him come out of it.. He seems ok for now.. Not sure if its his bulk that is making him harder to regulate or its just how the disease is affecting him...  

his adrenal is getting out of control and there is no way to medicate it right now.. vet can't get lupron and Des is still not available.. Only option now is to drive to orlando to a new vet and get Lupron there.. which is what we are planning on doing now.. Poor little guy...

Because we gave him enough pred and syrup to bring him out of it, the vet decided not to do a BG test. We must have stuck him 8 times in his toes and twice in the tail and couldn't get a big enough drop, wasting 3 test strips.  I seriously thought we were going to lose him until the sugar syrup slowly brought him out of it.  We tested him 2 weeks ago and got 48, and Friday 54 after bumping up his dosage.  The vet gave us prenisolone tablets with an open-ended script so we'll never run out, and she said it's "for any ferret."  Jaffs absolutely hates the pediapred, but he took it ok just now being scruffed and oiled after.  

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

Glad Jaffa is better. Our vet gave us liquid dextrose for one of our insulinoma babies for crashes. Gave with a syringe.

 
Fuzzbutts Rule!

I usually put the pred into the soup.   What work for us....this is due to my work schedule.

Med at 7:30 Am and then med at 7:30 PM.  Adjust the meds if they need it. (up the dose)

Sending good thoughts ad prayer for Jaffa...its going to be a hard road.

prayers for Jaffa boy.  Those crashes are scary and glad he came out of it.


Our vet uses Family Pharmacy in VA for some of the more difficult meds, I think.  And she sometimes gets stuff from Blue Pearl Vet in Tampa.

Thank you ladies.  He took the second dose of liquid ok being scruffed.  He was pretty wiped out yesterday but is much better this morning.  He's eating soups and treats again.  Dar has a theory that maybe he didn't like the last couple batches of soupies.  We boiled some chicken and used the broth to make soups.  

@bandit-  if I have to I will syringe him some next time in addition to rubbing the gums.  It absorbs faster on the gums or sublingual (under the tongue) but you can only smear so much.  He wasn't too happy with the sub-q Ringers, but maybe I didn't warm it enough.

@snapper-  apparently our vet doesn't compound meds, and lupron needs to be injected w/in 24 hrs of compounding, so she said they won't ship it to her.  Being in O'town, http://wpvet.com/  that vet gets $65 for an exotic office visit vs the $45 our vet charges.  If we have to drive there, we might as well get a 3 or 4 month depot, which will be about $150.  The des (Suprelorin F, for those watching at home) was supposed to be available in November, then late December and we're still waiting.  Honestly, we have our doubts he'll make it to 7.  So much for private bred.  He'll be 6 in March.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

No :( Jaffa :( I love that big boy. Prayers for Jaffa from us over here! 

Jaffs has an appt Monday to get a lupron depot. I-4, Orlando area. Might as well get used to it. I'll be driving it every day for 8 weeks for internship. I HATE that road.

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD