Ferrets Flashcards
What’s unique about the adult ferret skull
Has no suture lines
Right adrenal placement
Adhered to wall of CVC
Ovulation of ferrets
Induced ovulators, seasonally polyestrous
How soon following copulation does ovulation occur?
30-40hours
how high in protein should ferret diet be?
30-40%
Why isn’t cat chow appropriate for cats?
It’s too high in starch/carb
Which vaccine can be fatal in ferrets?
Canine distemper
Canine distemper falls into which family of viruses?
Paramyxoviridae
Clinical course of distemper
catarrhal phase and a CNS phase
Catarrhal/viremic phase- 7-10 days post-infection: anorexia, pyrexia, photosensitivity, serous nasal d/c
Secondary viremia: generalized erythema, scaling, pruritic rash (starts from chin and spreads); severe mucopurulent oculonasal d/c and pneumonia are common +/- footpad hyperkeratosis
CNS: ataxia, tremors, paralysis
May or may not be preceded by catarrhal phase
Death in 12-16 days with ferret strains or up to 35 days with canine strains
100% mortality
Which human influenza virus is more pathogenic to ferrets - A or B?
A
Pathogenicity of B is low
Mortality of human influenza
low
Differences between distemper and flu
Dermatitis, footpad hyperkeratosis, central signs in distemper. Distemper has 100% mortality
C/S of Aleutian disease
Cachexia, melena, ataxia, paralysis, tremors, convulsions
Dx of Aleutian disease (gammaglobulins)
gammaglobulins elevated to >20% of TP
Which disease is caused by Ferret enteric coronavirus? (FECV)
Epizootic catarrhal enteritis
C/S of epizootic catarrhal enteritis
Acute: lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, green watery mucoid diarrhea and dehydration
Chronic: feces appear grainy (looks like bird seeds)
High morbidity, low mortality
Older animals more severely affected
Which disease is caused by ferret systemic coronavirus (FSCV)?
Ferret systemic cornaviral disease (similar to dry form of FIP)
C/S of FSCV
nonspecific
Diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss
May present with CNS signs: paresis, ataxia, tremors, seizures, head tilt
Nx findings of FSCV
Nodules/plaques covering serosal surfaces, esp intestinal serosa and mesentery
Severe pyogranulomatous inflammation, often localized around vessels
c/s of Helicobacter mustelae
usually none. can see Gi ulcers, wt loss
C/S of lawsonia intracellularis
mucoid hemorrhagic diarrhea (intermittent > 6 wks), anorexia, weight loss, ataxia, muscle tremors, rectal prolapse
Which mite causes ulcerative lesions on the face?
Lynsacarus mustelae
Heartworm disease in ferrets
Susceptibility similar to dogs, clinical disease similar to that of cats
Blastomyces in ferrets
Cutaneous and systemic forms (systemic usually affects the lungs)
Cryptococcus neoformans in ferrets
Immunosuppresion may play a role; indoor-housed ferrets at low risk
meningoencephalitis, posterior paralysis, listlessness, acute death
white nodules on intestinal serosa, diffuse lymphocytic meningeal infiltrate
Histoplasma in ferrets
abdominal pain, splenomegaly, subnormal temperature, subcutaneous nodules
Pneumocystic carinii in ferrets
Pneumonia in immunosuppressed ferrets
Vitamin E deficiency c/s
Steatitis, yellow fat disease
C/S of arginine deficiency
Young ferrets only, adults not affected. Hyperammonemia and encephalopathy after single deficient feeding
Zinc toxicity cause
Accidental contamination or experimental (galvanized steel caging)
c/s of zinc toxicity
nephrotoxicity and anemia
large pale kidneys with collapsed glomeruli, dilated tubules and interstitial fibrosis
Pregnancy toxemia is seem primarily in which animals?
Primiparous jills with large litters
Pathogenesis of pregnancy toxemia
Decreased nutrition in late pregnancy results in negative energy balance; hyperlipidemia, hypoglycemia, ketosis, and hepatic lipidosis
Decreased intake/appetite or not enough room in abdomen for kits and full stomach
What happens if female ferrets aren’t bred?
Remain in persistent estrus - hyperestrogenism
Insulinoma is a tumor of which cells?
Functional tumor of B cells - not responsive to inhibitory stimuli
c/s of insulinoma
weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, increased sleeping, ataxia, intermittent posterior paresis, and occasional disorientation
Can present in hypoglycemic crisis or with severe signs (ptyalism, “star gazing”, pawing at the mouth, “vomiting”, collapse, and seizures…though seizures aren’t as common in ferrets as dogs with insulinomas)
BG in ferrets with insulinoma
<60-70
Histo findings for insulinoma
Adenoma or adenocarcinoma
How do glucocorticoids treat insulinoma?
increase gluconeogenesis, decrease glucose uptake by peripheral tissues and inhibit insulin binding to receptor
How does diazoxide treat insulinoma?
inhibits pancreatic insulin secretion by decreasing the intracellular release of iCa prevents release of insulin from granules
Adrenal neoplasia is tumor of which layer?
Regicular layer
Which adrenal is more affected?
L
Adrenal tumor is more common in which subset of ferrets?
Sterilized ferrets
C/S of Adrenal tumor
weight loss, bilateral alopecia and vulvar enlargement in females; males may have urinary blockage
Medical treatment of adrenal tumor (4)
Leuprolide - desensitizes GnRH receptors at the pituitary to downregulate FSH and LH release
Deslorelin implants – stimulates LH and FSH secretion that desentitizes the pituitary by downregulating GnRH receptors, which stops the release of gonadotropins
Melatonin implant- directly inhibits GnRH release and therefore suppresses LH and FSH production
SQ implant lasts 3 months
U/S guided alcohol injection into diseased gland causing gland to shrink
Most common musculoskeletal tumor of ferrets
Chordoma
Disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis signalment
Young ferrets <18 months
C/S of DIM
rapid onset of fever, lethargy, paresis and dehydration are most consistent signs
inflammation of muscle
Gross lesions of DIM
red and white mottling of the esophagus; white streaks in the diaphragm, lumbar, and leg muscles; and marked atrophy of diaphragm and skeletal muscle in advanced cases; lympho- splenomegaly
Histo lesions of DIM
suppurative pyogranulomatous inflammation in skeletal muscle and fascia; myeloid hyperplasia
