Managing Insulinoma

This article is about managing insulinoma, not preventing it.

Insulinoma is not a death sentence, it's a chronic illness that can be treated for years and years.

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Stability is Key

Blood glucose graph

This is a very approximate graph of a ferret's blood sugar over time (with insulinoma and meds twice a day).

Your goal is to prevent crashes. There are 2 Rules that will help you with that.

1. Follow a strict 12 hour schedule with their medicine (Red dots).

  • If you are late with 1 dose, give the next dose at the original scheduled time.
  • If you are repeatedly late or irregular, they will crash.

2. Wait an hour after meds before taking them out to play (Green squares).

  • Meds take some time to work through their system.
  • If they use up their energy before the meds have taken effect, they will crash.

Soupies

Soupies

Always give meds with a high-protein soup. This will help coat their tummy and prevent side effects like ulcers and nausea. Some options:

  • My Soup Recipe
  • Carnivore Care
  • Uncle Jim's Original Duk Soup
  • Gerber's Chicken & Gravy Baby Food (only in a pinch, this is not a great option)

Warning Signs

If your ferret has not been diagnosed with insulinoma yet but is exhibiting this behavior, I recommend getting their blood glucose checked. Especially if they're aged 4 or older.

  • Lethargy
  • Frequent speedbumping

Signs of a Crash

Even if you follow my 2 rules, your ferret may still crash.

These require immediate attention!

  • Pawing at the mouth
  • Drooling
  • Stumbling (weakness in legs)
  • Staring off into the distance

Handling a Crash

  1. Hold them close and calm them. Don't let them use up any more energy.
  2. Rub a tiny bit of honey or karo syrup on their gums. This will give a small but immediate boost.
  3. Give a small dose of meds (0.2 mL). This will give a stronger but more gradual boost.
  4. After a few minutes, give high-protein soup. (Eating itself uses energy so you want to wait a little bit after the meds).
  5. Take them to your vet ASAP.

Seizures

  • If your ferret is having a seizure, don't try to put anything in their mouth.
  • Take them to the vet immediately.

Surgery

  • I highly recommend against surgery to treat insulinoma.
  • It can help postpone it but the insulinoma will come back.

Insulinoma + Adrenal

  • Many vets are seeing a possible link between deslorelin implants and complications with insulinoma.
  • Always get bloodwork done before an implant. If their blood sugar is low, it's safer to use an alternative treatment such as Lupron.