Tuesday, April 03, 2007

UNA's Insulinoma


UNA is struggling with insulinoma for over 2yrs.
Her glucose level is about 20ml/dl at hunger time, and about 40ml/dl at full time, but does not have any attack of hypoglycemia.

Insulinoma is caused by a tumor of pancreas, and this tumor cannot be taken away with surgery because of the location, so I've decided to take care with dietary therapy, which is reducing carbonhydrates from food.
Carbonhydrate in food manages pracreas to produce insulin to absorb glucose into cells, and causes sudden decreasement of glucose in blood which is an attack of hypoglycemia.
Ferrets and other carnivorous animals does not need carbonhydrates to get glucose, they can create glucose from protein which works more softly for the body.
Glucose rises after feeding, so it is important not to make any hunger time for a ferret who is struggling with insulinoma.

UNA, however, sometimes do hunger strike, but hunger time causes hypoglycemia, and in worst case, it will end up with death.
From about 1 week before, she started hunger strike.
Ferret's digesting time is approximately 3h(using dry food), so I had to feed her every 3h day and night for this week, but this morning, she started to eat by her own!

Hunger strike is gone, and I can sleep well from tonight.
Thank you god!(:

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