Ferrets Flashcards
Family for ferrets
Mustelidae
Genus subgenus species for ferrets
Mustela putorius furo
Uses in research for ferret
Virology, neuroscience, carcinogenesis, cardiovascular physiology, repro physiology, anatomy, endocrinology, emesis
Replacing cats in neuroendocrinology, neuroanatomy, cardiology
Most US ferrets w/ a blaze or white head suffer from ___ and are ___.
Waardenburg Syndrome
deaf
Are ferrets heat-tolerant?
NO
Poorly developed sweat glands, do not tolerate heat >30C and susceptible to heat prostration (heat exhaustion)
CS: panting, flaccidity, vomiting
What light cycle is used for breeding and lactating jills?
16:8
But if breeding for >6mos, should have winter 10:14 maintain physiologic normalcy for 6wks of the year
Why is non-recirculated air best for ferrets?
due to ferret odor and susceptibility to resp. tract infections
Why are galvanized cages, water & food bowls not recommended? What are clinical signs and pathologic findings?
Ferrets lick it and get zinc toxicosis (galvanized = zinc-coated to prevent rust)
CS: Pallor, posterior weakness, lethargy
Path: KIDNEY/LIVER: orange liver, tubular necrosis
Describe ferret GIT
Simple monogastric stomach, no cecum, no distinctive ileocolic jxn
Short GIT for body size, GI transit 3 hours
Ddx splenomegaly in ferret
R/o EMH (common!), pathology, drugs (isoflurane)
Which value on CBC is usually higher in ferrets?
HCT (47-59)
Lifespan ferret
6 – 11 yr
Why are ferrets used to investigate beta carotene and vit E absorption?
Similar physiology to humans
Absorb B-carotene intact into lymph –> convert in mucosa to vit A–> to liver via portal v
A-tocopherol (active Vitamin E) improves this by supporting absorption and acting as antioxidant to stabilize beta-carotene and Vitamin A from degradation
Are ferrets nonseasonal/seasonal and spontaneous/induced breeder?
Seasonal, induced (Ovulation 30-40hr post mating)
Unlike rodents, estrus in ferrets is NOT associated with an increase in ___.
FSH
What happens after an infertile mating?
Pregnancy or pseudopregnancy –> Can lead to death from aplastic anemia
When to mate? And bring M to F or vice versa?
2 wks (14 days) after vulvar swelling
Bring female to male
Leave for 2 days
Gestation of ferret
41-42 days or 39-42 days
Ferret neonatal development
Altricial, eyes closed, covered by lanugo (soft) hair –> day 3 acquire gray coat if not albino
Deciduous teeth d14, Hear at d32, eyes open d34
Ferret weaning age
6 wks
How soon after parturition do jills return to estrus?
Jills return to estrus after 2-3wks lactation if <5 kits, 2wks post weaning if normal size litter
Best to re-breed or give hCG to terminate estrus even if still lactating (avoid persistent hyperestrogenemia)
Ferret weanlings present with abdominal distention, gastroenteritis, dyspnea, and cyanosis. Main ddx?
C. perfringens type A
produces alpha-toxin –> diagnose by isolating bacteria from GI contents + ID toxin (eg mouse protection assay)
What bacterium is isolated from ferrets with chronic gastritis?
Helicobacter mustelae
What is the only animal that has naturally occurring helicobacter-ulcer disease to date?
Ferrets
Tb in ferrets - which species and what are clinical signs?
Ferrets more susceptible to Tb than other species. And zoonotic!
M. bovis: miliary lesions involving the lungs and other viscera
M. tb: Primary lung infection rare
M. avium: granulomatous pulmonary and intestinal inflammation
Ferrets get which serotypes of Salmonella? What is classic pathology?
S. enterica serotype Typhimurium: Conjunctivitis, sepsis
S. enterica serotype Dublin: Dark-red, very fragile uterus seen as necrotizing endometritis. Often complicated with endometrial rupture -> diffuse purulent peritonitis.
Bacterial causes of pneumonia in ferrets? Is it primary or secondary?
Streptococcus zooepidemicus, other group C and G strep, E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa, and B. bronchiseptica = all 2ary pathogens
Stranguria in ferrets can be seen in males w/ prostatic abscessations 2ary to ___.
hyperadrenocortisism
What is the most serious viral infection of ferrets?
Distemper (Paramyxoviridae)
What are phases of distemper in ferrets?
catarrhal phase: 7-10 days 🡢 anorexia, pyrexia, photosensitivity, nasal discharge, ventral rash (cell mediated immunity), +/- hardpad/hyperkeratosis.
CNS phase🡢tremors paralysis.
Uniformly fatal
Main route of transmission for Distemper to ferrets?
Respiratory
___ stain yields ORANGE IC/INIB in trachea bronchial, bile duct and urinary bladder for ___ virus in ferrets.
Pollack’s trichrome stain
Distemper
How to prevent Distemper in ferrets?
MLV of chicken embryo of tissue culture origin (CETCO)
but avoid overvaccination bc get vaccine reactions
What is taxonomy of Aleutian disease virus (ADV) in ferrets? What are clinicopathology and histopathology findings
Parvovirus (genus Amdoparvovirus, species Carnivore amdoparvovirus 1)
Immune-mediated; hypergammaglobulinemia (HGG)
Most consistent finding = Periportal lymphocytic infiltrates
How is influenza spread between ferrets and humans? What tissue are inclusion bodies seen?
Direct contact + aerosol ***PPE is critical!
Inclusions in the epithelial cells in a conjunctiva scrape (unlike Distemper)
Ferrets used as model - Reye’s syndrome, vaccines
What is incubation period for experimental infection of ferrets with rabies and time until death? Can MLV be used?
Exp inoculation: mean incubation period between 28-33 d; mean morbidity 4-5 days
MLV not recommended – at least one case of ferret that reverted with MLV vaccine
Ddx ferret diarrhea and how to differentiate
Rotavirus
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ferret enteric coronavirus): Hallmark is lymphocytic enteritis with villous atrophy and necrosis and vacuolization of enterocytes on the tips; GREEN SLIME DISEASE
What is hallmark of ferret systemic coronavirus on pathology?
severe pyogranulomatous inflammation
3 species of coccidia that affect ferrets
Isospora laidlawi
Eimeria furonis
Eimeria ictidea
What two forms of Sarcoptes scabiei do ferrets get?
Generalized – focal lesions, generalized alopecia w/ intense pruritus
Pedal – toes and feet, swollen and encrusted w/ scabs, nails deformed or lost if untx
What is genus species of ear mites in ferrets?
Otodectes cynotis
What species of Pneumocystis affects ferrets?
carinii (same as rat)
Why is heartworm diagnosis more challenging in ferrets than dogs? How does tx differ?
Microfilaremia not consistent in ferrets –> diagnose with antigen test
Tx w/ melarsomine contra-indicated in ferrets b/c adverse rxns - use thiacetarsemide
How to prevent pregnancy toxemia in ferrets?
Prevent by feeding >20% and >35% crude protein, cross fostering, c-section
What is cause and prevention for hyperestrogenemia in ferrets?
If not bred in estrus, will not ovulate and keep producing estrogen –> aplastic anemia
Give hCG or GnRH (smaller molecule, less chance for rxn) to induce ovulation (or breed or OHE); can give blood transfusion bc lack of blood groups in ferrets
What happens with Arginine free diet + <18 mo old ferret + 16 hours fasting?
Hyperammoniemia and encephalopathy in 2-3 hours (arginine needed to produce ornithine which detoxifies ammonium and produces urea)
Exacerbated by influenza and aspirin = Reye’s syndrome model – lethargy and aggressiveness🡪 prostration, coma, death (**unlike humans, ferrets do not develop persistent vomiting)
What is common traumatic lesion in fighting hobs? What is treatment?
Traumatic elbow luxation
Closed reduction does not work –> do Open reduction: transarticular pin for 4 wks has worked. Splint leg for 4 wks after pin removal.
Most common neoplasm in ferrets. Dx and tx?
Functional islet cell tumor (insulinoma)
Dx by fasting glucose levels (insulin levels can be erratic)
Tx prednisone, diazoxide; can increase survival via surgical excision
2nd most common neoplasm in ferrets after insulinoma. CS and tx?
Adrenal tumor
> 90% of ferrets >4y can have hyperplastic or neoplastic adrenal changes
CS associated with elevated sex steroids and cortisol
Deslorelin implants are the treatment of choice.
can also do monthly injections of Lupron, a GnRH superantagonist
can also do surgical excision (rarely bilateral) - unless on R and invaded vena cava
Which lymphoma location at first diagnosis is more aggressive?
Mediastinal and <2 yo
Most common skin tumor in ferret
Mast cell tumor
Risk factors for Placental-umbilical entanglement in ferrets
On day of parturition; assoc. w/ fine particle bedding, large litters, and short kit-birth intervals
Cut under heat lamp as far from umbilicus as possible
What congenital lesion is associated with hyperadrenocorticism in jill?
cystic genitourinary abnormalities
In ferrets, what is the cause of peripheral eosinophilia, hypoalbuminemia, diffuse eosinophils in GIT. Diarrhea and vomiting. Splendore-hoeppli material in the LN?
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (non-infectious)
Seen more in younger ferrets
Name of condition that is an emerging disease in ferrets <18 months old that presents with fever, paresis, hind end pain, muscle atrophy? What type of inflammation and what type of muscles are affected?
Disseminated Idiopathic Myofasciitis (DIM)
Neutrophilic to pyogranulomatous inflammation
ALL muscle types, including esophagus
Grid spacing of ferret cages to prevent escape?
1x0.5 inches for grid spacing in caging or 0.25 inch if wire mesh
Ferret lung capacity is ___ X what you’d predict for that size mammal
3X
Ferrets younger than ___ should not be transferred from short to long day to induce breeding season because females will ____.
90 days
Remain anestrous
___ is the hallmark of estrus in ferrets.
Vulvar swelling
What are possible outcomes once a ferret is in estrus?
- Coitus induced ovulation and pregnancy
- Pseudopregnancy
- Pharmacologic termination (hcg etc)
- Death due to estrogen-induced aplastic anemia
- Spontaneous remission and anestrus due to reduced photoperiod
Dx of Tb in ferrets?
ID skin test not validated
Isolation & ID from infected tissues (retropharyngeal & MLNs)
How to differentiate Distemper from influenza in ferrets?
Distemper uniformly fatal (vs influenza CS then recover), IN and IC inclusion bodies in upper respiratory epithelial cells (vs influenza in conjunctiva), rapid progression to purulent nasal and ocular d/c (vs influenza serous)
Which laboratory animal has been suggested as a practice model for human pediatric intubation?
Ferret
What is required for pregnancy maintenance in ferret?
- Corpus luteum (progesterone) ***ferrets are CL-dependent
- Anterior pituitary (LH to support formation of CL)
Dystocia in ferrets is common/uncommon due to ___ and ___.
Dystocia common due to macrosomia (big kit) and incorrect fetal position
What is the best choice for anesthesia in a jill with pregnancy toxemia?
Isoflurane (short onset/fast recovery, can titrate better, excreted via lungs not liver)
What has been associated with anaphylaxis in the ferret?
Rabies vaccine
Distemper vaccine
Multiple hCG injections in the jill
Which type of Mycobacterium is a concern for fecal contamination of food in an outdoor ferret pen?
M. avium (from birds)
What is origin cell type of chordomas and what is prognosis?
Notochord remnant
Do not recur w/ amputation of tail w/ wide margins of several vertebrae.
Prognosis poor if on the neck.
Which type of influenza causes clinical signs in ferrets?
Swine flu
Is adrenal tumor in ferret usually elevation in sex steroids or cortisol?
Sex steroids
What is likely cause of ecchymoses and petechiae in ferrets?
Hyperestrogenism –> coagulopathy
Vaccination schedule for rabies for ferrets?
USDA killed vax: SQ at 3 mo and 1 yr, then annually
Which parasite has been showen to cause, pruritis, circling, ataxia, torticollis and Horner’s syndrome in ferrets?
Otodectes cynotis (ear mite)
Risk factors for pregnancy toxemia in ferrets
Primiparous jills w/ large litter, inadvertent fasting (>24 hours fasting, >8 kits)
BG level diagnostic for insulinoma in ferrets?
<60 mg/dl
Why ferrets good pulmonary model
Thorax narrow, elongated w/ long trachea (challenging intubation, ET training, mimics pediatrics)
Large lungs 3x expected for body size, extensive bronchial branching and submucosal glands (pulmonary research)
