Ferrets

Question 1

Genus species of ferret

Answer 1

Mustela putorius furo

Family- Mustelidae

Question 2

How many toes per foot

Answer 2

5 on each foot

Question 3

What syndrome is common in blaze or white headed ferrets

Answer 3

Waardenburg- deaf

Question 4

What is the recommended temperature range to house ferrets

Answer 4

39-64F, they tolerate cool better than heat (poor developed sweat glands)

Question 5

What is the appropriate cage size for ferrets?

Answer 5

24x24 for two

18 inches high

Question 6

What makes the ferret an excellent model for studies of tracheal physiology

Answer 6

trachea is very long (to go with their very long and narrow thorax)
-also makes the useful for training of human pediatric intubation

Question 7

T or F. Ferrets are seasonal breeders

Answer 7

T

march thru august

Question 8

Unbred females in prolonged estrus may develop what syndrome?

Answer 8

aplastic anemia

Question 9

What is the gestation length for the ferret

Answer 9

42days

Question 10

T or F. Ferrets are induced ovulators

Answer 10

T

Question 11

What is the likely causative agent of of abdominal distension (bloat), dyspnea and cyanosis in weanling age ferrets

Answer 11

Clostridium perfringes type A

-best managed by prevention, minimize abrupt change in diet, feed weanlings only BID (not ad lib or more frequent)

Question 12

Name the helicobacter species that commonly infects ferrets

Answer 12

Helicobacter mustelae

Question 13

What is the common presentation of infection of ferrets with Helicobacter mustelea

Answer 13

-often time asymptomatic
-gastric or duodenal ulcers (vomiting, wt loss, melena)
-gastric adencarcinoma
(Robust model for H. pylori gastritis in humans)

Question 14

T or F. H. mustelea produces Urease

Answer 14

T.

This is similar to H. pylori

Question 15

T or F. Helicobacter can be successfully eradicated from ferrets using triple therapy regimen

Answer 15

T

Amoxicillin/Metronidazole/bismuth subslicylate

Question 16

What is the etiologic agent of proliferative bowel disease in the ferret

Answer 16

Lawsonia intracelluraris 
(campylobacter-like species, similar to Deslfovibrio)

Question 17

T or F. Ferrets are susceptible to a number of Mycobacterium species

Answer 17

T

M. bovis, Movium, M Tb, M celatum

Question 18

To what viral family does the etiologic agent for Canine Distemper belong

Answer 18

Paramyxovirus (Morbillivirus)

SS RNA

Question 19

What are the 2 phases of infection with Canine distemper virus in the ferret

Answer 19

• catarrhal (serous nasal discharge, fever, anorexia, rash, hard pad)
• neurological (ataxia, tremors, paralysis

Question 20

T or F. Vaccination is effective again CDV in ferrets.

Answer 20

T

MLV, with very regimented schedule for kits

Question 21

What is the etiologic agent for Aleutian Disease in ferrets

Answer 21

Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (ADV)

• parvovirus
• very small, single-stranded DNA

Question 22

What is the impact of ADV on research

Answer 22

Hypergammaglobulinemia

-severe immunemodulation

Question 23

What are the clinical signs associated with Aleutian disease in ferrets

Answer 23

-chronic wasting, hypergammaglobulinemia, occasionally neuralgic signs-ataxia, tremors paralysis

Question 24

To what viral family does the causative agent of influenza belong?

Answer 24

Orthomyxoviridae

-segmented singl stranded RNA

Question 25

What is the source of infection of Influenza virus to ferrets

Answer 25

humans

Question 26

What are the best methods to prevent spread of influenza from humans to ferrets

Answer 26

• Vaccination of human handlers agains current influenza strains
• Use of PPE
• Humans should not handle ferrets if showing clinical respiratory signs (during flu season)

Question 27

What is the genus of the etiologic agent of rabies

Answer 27

• Lyssavirus

- Rhabdovirus

Question 28

T or F. It is appropriate to vaccinate ferrets for rabies?

Answer 28

T. USDA approved killed vaccine

Question 29

What is the causative agent of Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (green slime disease)

Answer 29

Coronavirus

• RNA
• Ferret Enteric Coronavirus (FRECV)

Question 30

What are the clinical signs associated with green slime disease (ECE)

Answer 30

-decreased appetite, wt loss, lethargy, diarrhea (green and mucoid), vomiting, dehydration

Question 31

What are the hallmark histology lesions of ECE

Answer 31

lymphocytic enteritis (ileum, jejunum), villous atropy, necrosis vacuolization of enterocytes

Question 32

What is the recently identified disease in ferrets that is analogous to Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Answer 32

Ferret systemic coronavirus (FRSCV)

-two disease forms: wet/effusion and dry/granulomatous

Question 33

How is estrogen induced anemia managed/treated in ferrets

Answer 33

• OHE of non-breeding females
• use of vasectomize males to induce ovulation and terminate estrus
• treatment with hCG to terminate estrus

Question 34

What is the most common neoplasia in the ferret

Answer 34

insulinoma

Question 35

T or F. Surgical exploration and excision of the pancreatic tumor are recommended for treatment of insulinoma.

Answer 35

T, in healthy animals

Question 36

What is the 2nd most common tumor in ferrets

Answer 36

Adrenocortical cell tumor

Question 37

What are the clinical signs of adrenocortical tumors?

Answer 37

Weight loss, bilateral/symmetric alopecia,

Question 38

What is the mechanism of action of the drugs Lupron and Deslorelin, that may be used to adrenocortical cell tumors

Answer 38

-GnRH superagonist
-stops production of LH and FSH, due to negative feedback inhibition
(Deslorelin- longterm inpant, treatment of choice

Question 39

In what age of ferret is it likely to see and aggressive form of lymphoma that typically presents as a mediastinal mass

Answer 39

younger than 2 years

Question 40

What ferret clinical disease is likely to be associated with the Splenore-Hoeppli phenomenon

Answer 40

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis