BB Ch 13 Flashcards
The genus Mustela is divided into ________ subgenera; ferrets are part of the ________________ subgenus.
Five, putorius
Ferrets were first used as an animal model to study the pathogenesis of _______________________.
Influenza virus
Commercial stocks of ferrets are based on _______.
Coat color
What is the most common stock?
Sable (fitch)
Describe thermoregulation and recommended temperature range in ferrets.
Ferrets tolerate low temperatures well, and high temperatures poorly.
- poorly developed sweat glands, and prone to heat prostration if temperature exceed 90o F (30o C)
- juvenile and adults should be 4-18o C
- <6 weeks old should be at > 15o C, and require a separate heat source if separated from the dam
- preferred humidity is 40-65%
Breeding ferrets or those ferrets maintained for greater than 6 months in a facility should be exposed to winter light that consists of _______ weeks per year of ________ hours of darkness daily.
6; 14
The ferret’s gastrointestinal tract is characterized by: a simple monogastric stomach, lack of a cecum and an indistinct ileocecal transition. True or False
True
Extramedullary hematopoiesis is common and may result in splenomegaly. True or False
True
Describe blood types in ferrets.
Ferrets have no naturally occurring antibodies against unmatched erythrocyte antigens, and none that develop in the face of repeated transfusions.
Male ferrets have an os penis, but lack a prostate gland. True or False
False; have a prostate gland
What condition is found in unbred females with prolonged estrus? __________________________
Aplastic anemia from hyperestrogenism
What is the distinctive hematological characteristic of the ferret? ____________________________
Robust erython resulting in increased hematocrit, hemoglobin, total RBC’s and reticulocytes compared to dogs and cats
Proteinuria can be found in normal healthy adult females. True or False
True
Body weight can fluctuate dramatically, up to 30-40%, due to seasonal fluctuations, especially in those that are sexually intact. True or False
True
What is the hallmark of estrus in females?
Vulvar swelling
Describe onset of estrus in ferrets. What are the various possible outcomes after onset of estrus in the ferret?
Estrus proceeds 2-3 weeks of proestrus, characterized by prominent vulvar swelling. Estrus onset is not associated with an elevated serum FSH as in rodents.
Possible subsequent outcomes:
- coitus-induced ovulation and pregnancy
- pseudopregnancy after infertile mating
- pharmacologic termination (e.g. hCG or GnRH)
- death due to estrogen-induced aplastic anemia
- spontaneous remission and anestrus due to reduced photoperiod
What is the typical gestation period for the ferret?
42 days
Describe the principal lethal toxin of C. perfringes Type A.
Alpha toxin
- hemolytic and necrotizing
- can split lecithin or lecithin-protein complexes leading to destruction of cell membranes and necrosis
Describe the clinical presentation of C. perfringes type A in ferrets.
In weanling ferrets
- acute abdominal distension
- dyspnea
- cyanosis
- may be found dead and bloated
- predisposing factors of overeating, or sudden diet changes suspected
How is C. perfringes type A diagnosed in ferrets?
- isolation from gastric and small intestinal contents
- toxin identification by the mouse protection assay
Describe gross findings for C. perfringes type A infected ferrets.
- markedly distended stomachs and intestines containing large amounts of gas and moderate amount of brown semi-liquid ingesta
- subcutaneous emphysema with minamal or no putrefaction
Characterize Campylobacter jejuni.
Gram negative bacterium, spirally curved, microaerophilic
- significant cause of human enteritis (ZOONOTIC)
- isolated from asymptomatic ferrets
- associated with diarrhea in several animal species including dogs, cats, cows, goats, pigs, mink, ferrets, sheep
- mastitis in cows
- infectious hepatitis in chickens
- abortion in cows, sheep, goats, dogs, mink
The most common clinical signs associated with experimental Campylobacter jejuni infection in ferrets are?
Self-limiting diarrhea and abortion/placentitis
Describe culture requirements for C. jejuni.
- grows slowly
- thermophilic (42-43oC)
- microaerophilic
- examine every 48 hours for round, raised, translucent, and sometimes mucoid colonies
The drug of choice for human cases of C. jejuni is ________________________, but in one study was ineffective in eliminating the carrier state in ferrets.
Erythromycin
Ferrets suffering from chronic gastritis are typically infected with ___________________________.
Helicobacter mustelae
Infection with H. mustelae can
A. Cause vomiting, melena, weight loss, anemia due to gastric ulceration
B. Be asymptomatic
C. Cause gastric adenocarcinoma
D. Cause gastric MALT lymphoma that parallels that seen in humans
E. All of the above
E
Identification of H. mustelae is done on the basis of:
A. Sensitivity to nalidixic acid
B. Production of urease, catalase, and oxidase
C. Gram-stain morphology
D. Resistance to cephalothin
E. All of the above
E
Proliferative bowel disease is caused by
Lawsonia intracellularis
Describe morphology of L. intracellularis.
Gram-negative, comma to spiral shaped bacteria
Describe the clinical signs of L. intracellularis in ferrets.
- palpably-thickened colon
- chronic diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, dehydration
- diarrhea may be blood-tinged, contain mucus, and often green
- rectal prolapse
- +/- ataxia and muscle tremors
Describe the histologic changes with L. intracellularis in ferrets.
- marked mucosal proliferation
-
intracytoplasmic L. intracellularis within apical portion of the hyperplastic epithelial cells
- organisms demonstrated with silver stain
Name two antibiotics that are effective in the treatment of proliferative bowel disease.
Chloramphenicol and metronidazole
Tuberculosis has been reported in ferrets and the associated clinical signs vary depending on the infecting stain. True or False
True
Salmonella sp. is a gram-positive, spore-forming aerobe that is able to cause disease in ferrets. True or False
False; gram-negative, non-spore forming, facultative anaerobe
Clinical signs and necropsy findings in Salmonella infections vary depending upon the infecting strain. True or False
True
Bacterial pneumonia may occur secondary to what condition in the ferret?
Megaesophagus
List 3 rule-outs in the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia.
- dilated cardiomyopathy
- heartworm disease
- mycotic pneumonia
- pneumocystis pneumonia in immunosuppressed ferrets
- influenza
- neoplasia
It is recommended that jills with the chronic form of mastitis be treated and maintained in the breeding colony. True or False
False; should be culled
What is a good antibiotic choice in the treatment of mastitis pending the culture and sensitivity results?
Enrofloxacin
