Ferrets Flashcards
Ferret genus and species
Mustela putorius furo
Number of premolars in a ferret
3
Architecture of ferret esophagus
Striated entire length (like dog). They can vomit.
The jejunum and ileum are indistinguishable creating what structure?
Jejunoileum
What components of the GI tract do ferrets lack?
Cecum, ileocecal valve, and appendix
What is unique about the ferret pancreas?
It is V shaped. There is only a major duodenal papilla, as the minor is also absent.
How does the penis of a ferret differ from that of a dog?
The os penis is J shaped, making urethral catheterization challenging.
Architecture of female ferret reproductive tract
Single cervix, single uterus, 2 uterine horns
Albino ferrets have what impaired visionary senses?
imparied motion perception and contrast sensitivity, compared to non-albino ferrets
Ferret hearing range
20Hz to 44 kHz
What congential syndrom are ferrets with white markings (pandas and blazes) prone to?
Deafness associated with congenital Waardenburg-like Syndrome.
What condition can occur with prolonged estrus?
Severe anemia and thrombocytopeina caused by bone marrow suppression from persistent hyperestrogenism. Caused by failure to ovulate after breeding.
Ferret gestation length
39-42 days
Adult domestic ferrets drink how much water daily?
75-100 mL
Ferret ear mite
Otodected cynotis
Common sites for blood draws in a ferret
Jugular, cranial vena cava
Ferrets are used to study what human model?
Helicobactor pylori as they are susceptible to H mustelae. (gastric adenocarcinoma or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
Tissues affected by Lawsonia Intracellularis (proliferative bowel disease)
Intestinal thickening of the colon causing chronic diarrhea. Trt: Chloramphenicol
Tissues affected by Campylobacter jejuni
Small and large intestine, and liver. Causes self-limiting diarrhea with mucous and blood. Treat: erythromycin
Clinical signs of Mycobacterium bovis or avium
Diarrhea, weight loss, conjunctival lesions, splenomegaly, pneumonia
Name the two types of coronavirus
Enteric and Systemic (resembles feline FIP) (RNA)
Ferret enteric coronavirus is the causative agent of what dissease?
Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE)
What clinical sign does ECE cause?
green slime diarrhea. Occurs in adult ferrets exposed to a new young ferret, incubation is 48-72hrs.
How to diagnose ECE?
PCR or ELISA
What condition can occur following recovery from ECE?
Intermittent malabsorption syndrome with tan, seed-like diarrhea.
May try treat with Pred or Tylosin
Ferret systemic coronavirus (FSCV) causes what condition?
Progressive systemic pyogranulomatous disease in young ferrets (resembles dry FIP). ~11mos old, chronic weight loss, palpable abd mass, diarrhea, leukocytosis, anemia
There is no treatment
How to diagnose FSCV?
Immunohistochemical staining of affected tissues with anti-coronavirus antiboty (FIPV3-70)
Which condition has a higher mortality rate, ECE or FSCV?
FSCV
ECE is high morbidity
What causes green diarrhea in 2-6wk kits with green, mucoid diarrhea? How is it diagnosed?
Rotavirus.
Dx: PCR fecal or tissue samples (jejunum or ileum)
Fatal disease in ferrets that causes diarrhea, nasal and ocular discharge, generalized orange-tinged dermatitis?
Canine distemper (paramyxovirus)
Genus Morbillivirus
Family Paramyxoviridae
Cause of transient diarrhea and upper respiratory dz (coughing, sneezing)
Influenza (orthomyxovirus)
Most common enteric parasite in ferrets, which causes severe morbidity and mortality?
Eimeria furonis (coccidiosis) Difficult to treat and erradicate as fecal shedding is sporadic and inconsistent.
What parasite may cause a subclinical infection in ferrets without signs of dz?
Cryptosporidium parvum
Common cause of gastroenteritis in ferrets
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)- lymphoplasmacytic with some eosinophilic infiltration of stomach and small intestine.
Chronic GI inflammation is associated with the development of what condition?
MALT lymphoma (Helicobacter) causing loose seed-like stools, occasional vomiting. Young-middle aged adults, and typically only one ferret affected. Treat: empirical with pred
Chronic helicobacter infections may result in what conditions?
Pyloric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma
What is more common, pancreatic endocrine neoplasia or exocrine neoplasia? What tumors are caused?
Pancreatic endocrine neoplasia: pancreatic islet cell tumor (beta cell carcinoma or insulinoma)
What dz causes subclinical, acute hepatitis, or chonic infections?
Hepatitis E virus (HEV)
Cause of immune complex deposition in the kidneys which causes membranous glomerulonephritis and tubular intersitial nephritis?
Aleutian dz (may have asymptomatic carriers) Parvovirus
What dz can cause pyogranulomatous inflammation of the kidney and green-tinged urine?
FSCV
Most common uroliths in ferrets?
magnesium ammonium phosphate or struvite. Dietary influenced.
Clinical pathology and pathology findings of Aleutian dz?
Hypoalbuminemia and hypergammaglobulinemia. Azotemia and anemia may also occur.
Splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, lymphomegaly, perivascular cuffing of brain and spinal cord, lymphoplasmacytic meningitis
No trt.
How is Aleutian dz diagnosed?
CIEP (conterimmunoelectrophoresis), PCR fecal or splenic tissues
Presence of antibody not diagnostic of dz
What condition causes includion bodies int he respiratory system, skin, brain, and urinary bladder that are intracytoplasmic or intranuclear?
Canine distemper virus (CDV)
Increased production of mineralocorticoids by the zona glomerulosa causes what condition?
Hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s syndrome)
Increased production of glucocorticoids by the zona fasciculata causes what condition?
Hypercortisolism (Cushings)
Increased production of androgens by the zona reticularis causes what condition?
Hyperandrogenism- the most common form of hyperadrenocorticism!
Hyperadrenocorticism produces what excess enzymes?
androstenedione, estradiol, 17a-hydroxyprogesterone
Treatment for hypoglycemia in ferrets
Prednisone, diazoxide, and octreotide acetate
