Ferret Illnesses Cancer – Insulinomas Symptoms and Treatment

Ferrets can get tumors and cancers just like any other aging creature. After they reach four, ferrets are more likely to get sick. The average ferret only lives roughly 6 to 8 years. There are common types of cancers for ferrets that are called insulinomas. These insulinomas are tumors from cells that are producing insulin in the pancreas. The tumors will also lead to an excess of insulin being produced which can lead to diabetes.

Some of the signs that a ferret owner needs to look out for will be more obvious than others. When you know what to look out for, you can learn when to be alarmed and when to realize that the actions of your ferret are normal. There are some signs and symptoms that will immediately let you know that your ferret is sickly.

Some of these symptoms are when you see a large amount of weight loss occur in your ferret. If they look like they are wasting away, their body might be fighting a huge disease and unable to concentrate on anything else, including putting the nutrients from food where they belong.

If your ferret typically runs all around and is very active and suddenly lethargic, there could be something wrong. Also, if you start to see a lack of coordination in the hind legs of the ferret, that is a bad sign. Healthy ferrets love to run around for the six hours that they are awake. If your ferret stops being active and exploring all around, then you should be alarmed and might want to take your pet in for a vet visit.

Naturally, as your ferret grows up, they will be less active with each passing year. Older ferrets, however, are still exploratory and love to eat. They will still consume a large amount of food. If you notice a decrease in appetite, that could be a sign that your ferret is ill. You should always leave food out for your ferret, but if you notice that you are filling up the bowl less and less, that can indicate a drop in feeding.

If they are uninterested in food or in their environment, that can be a big indicator that your ferret is unwell.

To diagnose a insulinoma is pretty straightforward. The vet will take a sample of blood to determine if there is a problem. From there, blood sugar levels are tested from the sample to see if the animal is sick. The test is often repeated a few hours later to ensure that the sample is not a fluke. Insulin levels in the ferret will be taken as well. There will also be an external exam to ensure that there are no obvious lumps or bumps that the ferret is struggling with.

Surgery is typically the common treatment against insulinomas. If there are visible tumors, surgery will reduce these tumors. This can reduce the spreading of the tumor or possible enlarged infections. Also, removing the symptoms can reduce the symptoms that the tumors are causing, including any pain the ferret might be experiencing. About two weeks later, the blood sugar tests will be performed again to see if the disease has slackened. The ferret will be tested every few months after to check for a re-occurrence of the disease.

If your ferret isn’t a good candidate for surgery, there are additional therapy and treatments that can help. There are several drugs that are used for insulinomas, including prednisone and diazoxide. Used together or separately, these drugs can help to manage the symptoms, although they will not eliminate the disease, which will progress in your animal.

The right diet can help to control the likelihood of getting insulinomas and will also decrease the severity of their symptoms. A high protein meat diet (about 35% of the total diet) combined with a relatively high fat (about 15%) will help keep your ferret healthy. Sweets should never be had, which can lead to hypoglycemic situations, disorientation and more.

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