small mammals 6 pt 2 Flashcards
1
Q
Dilated Cardiomyopathy in ferrets
A
- Idiopathic
- Middle-aged+
- →CHF
2
Q
Acquired Valvular Disease or Endocardiosis in ferrets
A
- Idiopathic
- Middle-aged+
- Valvulardysfunction→ regurgitation → CHF
3
Q
Hyperestrogenism etiology
A
- Intact, unbred female or
ovarian remnant - If prolonged, causes bone marrow hypoplasia
4
Q
Hyperestrogenism clinical signs
A
- Lethargic, weak
- Swollen vulva
- Sparse coat on the sides
- Pale mucous membranes
5
Q
Hyperestrogenism diagnosis
A
- CBC and biochemistries
- US for ovarian remnant
6
Q
Hyperestrogenism prognosis
A
- IfPCV>25%-good
- If15%<PCV<25%-reserved
- If PCV < 15% - poor, requires transfusion
7
Q
Hyperestrogenism Tx
A
- hCG to ovulate
- Supportive care
- Surgery (ovariohysterectomy), once CBC normal
8
Q
Gastrointestinal
Foreign Body in ferrets etiology
A
Common
* Young – foreign objects
* Older – trichobezoars
9
Q
Chronic Renal
Failure in ferrets Etiology
A
- Variable degrees of chronic interstitial nephritis common in geriatric ferrets
- May result in nephrotic syndrome
10
Q
chrnoic renal disease in ferrets
A
- Variable degrees of chronic interstitial nephritis common in geriatric ferrets.
- Advanced interstitial nephritis, as well as pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, and immune complex-mediated glomerulonephropathy, can cause renal failure.
- Renal tumours uncommon.
- Chronic kidney disease may result in nephrotic syndrome, in which
proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia lead to peripheral edema,
ascites, or both.
11
Q
acute renal disease in ferrets
A
- Common causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) are postrenal and intrinsic renal insults; postoperative renal failure with severe anesthetic hypotension.
- Ureteral stenosis, prostatic enlargement, and urolithiasis may result in obstruction of urine flow.
- Infectious disease and toxin exposure (e.g., ibuprofen) may result in acute disruption of the renal parenchyma.
- Clinical signs of renal failure may be nonspecific (e.g., anorexia, weight loss, and lethargy); may also include ulcers, GI abnormalities (melena, rare vomiting), ataxia, ascites, and peripheral edema.
- Physical examination - can include dehydration, pallor, irregularities or asymmetry in the size and shape of the kidneys, and increased blood pressure; polyuria or polydipsia if chronic; oliguria or anuria if acute.
- Diagnosis
- Abnormal serum biochemical results - increased blood urea
nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (usually lower than in dogs and cats); may include hyperphosphatemia, hyperkalemia, or hypokalemia and reduced total carbon dioxide levels; azotemia must be interpreted with care, because gastric ulcerations and meat-based diet consumption may artificially increase BUN levels. - Decreased urine specific gravity; mean endogenous creatinine, exogenous creatinine, and inulin clearance rates have been established; urine protein/creatinine ratios (UP:C) may help rule out the presence of proteinuria.
- Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), could be an interesting tool.
- Ultrasound examination - loss of corticomedullary distinction, focal
and multifocal alterations in the parenchyma, renal pelvic dilation, and hydronephrosis; ultimately, renal atrophy; ultrasound-guided renal aspiration or biopsy may be performed. - Necropsy.
12
Q
acute renal failure in ferrets treatment
A
- aimed at the underlying cause, nonspecific therapy of renal
failure includes supportive care, such as fluid therapy, vitamin and iron supplementation, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, and nutritional support; also may include dietary phosphorus restriction, intestinal phosphate binders, antioxidant supplementation, antihypertensive drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and erythropoietin in case of anemia; antibiotics if clinically indicated and use culture and sensitivity results; discontinue any potentially nephrotoxic drugs and administer diuretics as needed.
13
Q
acute renal failure in ferrets prognosis
A
- depends on the cause and severity of the primary disease and response to therapy.
14
Q
Renal Cysts and Polycystic Kidney Disease
A
- Renal cysts of various sizes are a common incidental finding.
- No specific treatment; ultrasound-guided paracentesis may be palliative, but fluid reaccumulates rapidly.
- Monitor with periodic ultrasound examination, biochemical analysis, and
urinalysis.
15
Q
General Gastritis and Ulceration
A
- Often Helicobacter mustelae
- Almost all NA ferrets persistently infected at weaning
- Lifelong, if untreated
- Clinical, if stressed
- Can cause lymphoma, gastric adenocarcinoma
<><><><> - Gastric and duodenal ulcers are common.
- Causes - foreign body or toxin ingestion, Helicobacter mustelae infection,
neoplasia of the intestinal tract, treatment with NSAIDs, and azotemia; rare
with corticosteroids, even at high doses. - Signs - melena, anorexia, lethargy, and weight loss; if nausea or abdominal
pain, often hypersalivate, paw at roof of mouth, or display teeth-grinding;
coughing or gagging (vomiting uncommon). - Diagnostic tests - whole-body radiographs (fast for 4-6 hours to visualize
foreign body or hairball, should be empty), blood tests. - Left untreated, ferrets with melena may die from blood loss or intestinal
perforation. - Hospitalize for fluid therapy and parenteral treatment.
- Antiemetic, such as maropitant citrate, metoclopramide, or ondansetron.
- Antibiotic combination that targets Helicobacter.
- Multiple small feedings of a bland, moist diet (if not vomiting), 400 kcal/kg
body weight per day; if vomiting, withhold food for 4 to 6 hours and
monitor for hypoglycemia (subclinical insulinomas), then introduce food. - Bismuth compounds may prevent peptic ulcers.
- H2-receptor antagonists, such as ranitidine or famotidine, to reduce gastric
acid secretion; superior acid suppression using proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole.
16
Q
Helicobacter Gastritis
A
- Helicobacter mustelae, a gram-negative bacterial rod.
- Virtually all North American ferrets are likely to become persistently
infected at weaning unless they are treated or hand-reared in isolation. - Infection is lifelong if untreated.
16
Q
Gastritis Dx
A
- Histopathology
- Fecal PCR
16
Q
Gastritis clinical signs, development
A
- Melena, anorexia, lethargy,
and weight loss - If nausea or abdominal pain, hypersalivate,
paw at roof of the mouth, or teeth-grinding - Coughing or gagging (vomiting uncommon)
<><><> - Clinical if stressed; severity increases with age.
- Helicobacter colonizes the antral area of the stomach and the pyloric area
of the duodenum. - Chronic infections can result in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
lymphoma; possibly gastric adenocarcinoma.
17
Q
Gastritis
treatment
A
- .Antibiotic – amoxicillin, metronidazole, clarithromycin, enrofloxacin
- .+ Antacid – ranitidine, famotidine, omeprazole, bismuth, etc.
- .+/- Antiemetic – maropitant citrate, metoclopramide, or ondansetron
- .+ Supportive care
<><><><> - Treatment - amoxicillin, metronidazole, and bismuth subsalicylate; clarithromycin and either ranitidine bismuth citrate or omeprazole more effective; enrofloxacin plus colloidal bismuth subcitrate is also effective; antacids to reduce discomfort.
18
Q
Diarrhea etiology
A
- Simple GIT
- Bacteria
- Salmonellosis
- Mycobacteriosis
- Campylobacteriosis
- Proliferative Bowel Disease
> Lawsonia intracellularis
> 4-6 months old
> Chronic, often bright green
19
Q
ferret GI transit, anorexia, gut flora
A
- Normal ferrets nibble on food all day; GI transit time is 3 hours, so defecation is frequent; normal stool is slightly soft and formed.
- Anorexic ferrets may pass a very dark green (bile) stool that can resemble melena; diarrhea is difficult to classify by origin.
- Gut flora of ferrets is simple and long-term administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics does not cause dysbiosis and diarrhea.
20
Q
Bacterial Disease causing diarrhea
A
Salmonellosis
* A contagious disease characterized by fever, bloody diarrhea, and lethargy; conjunctivitis and anemia may also be present.
* Low incidence, raw diet.
* Therapy - aggressive supportive care and antimicrobial therapy.
<><><><>
Mycobacteriosis
* Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium infections recognised; raw diet.
* M. avium, M. genavense, M. abscessus, and M. celatum also reported
* Diarrhea, weight loss, lymph node enlargement, conjunctival lesions, splenomegaly, and pneumonia.
* Histopathology of tissue samples, acid-fast staining, PCR testing, and culture.
* Treatment regimens, including rifampicin monotherapy or in combination with enrofloxacin and azithromycin, variable success.
* Zoonotic?
<><><>
Campylobacteriosis
* Campylobacter jejuni as a primary pathogen unknown.
<><><><><
Proliferative Bowel Disease
* Rare bacterial disease that causes intestinal thickening and diarrhea
in ferrets 4-6 months of age.
* Due to Lawsonia intracellularis; primarily involves the colon and less
commonly the small intestine.
* Chronic diarrhea, varies from dark liquid feces streaked with bright
red blood to scant stool, often with bright green mucus.
* Painful to defecate, rectal tissue may prolapse; lose weight; may die
if untreated.
* Diagnosis - clinical signs, gross or histopathologic lesions, and PCR
performed on a rectal swab, feces, or intestinal biopsy sample.
* Treatment - chloramphenicol.
21
Q
viral diarrhea in ferrets
A
- Ferret enteric coronavirus
- epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE) – “green slime diarrhea” disease
- Adults, from asymptomatic carrier, incubation 2-3 days
- Morbidity high, mortality low with treatment
- Can lead to persistent, intermittent malabsorption
<><><><>
- Rotavirus – 2-6 weeks old
- Canine Distemper – usually fatal if unvaccinated
<><><><>
22
Q
Coronavirus in ferrets
A
- Ferret coronavirus is an important cause of enteric disease.
- Two closely related but genetically distinct forms of this RNA virus
are an enteric coronavirus and a systemic coronavirus resembling
feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). - Ferret enteric coronavirus
- Causes epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE), a highly transmissible diarrheal disease of ferrets that was initially called “green slime diarrhea” disease.
- Adults most susceptible, usually from young asymptomatic carrier
- Incubation period is 48 to 72 hours, after which affected ferrets are anorexic and lethargic and develop profuse green diarrhea that can persist for several days and longer.
- Morbidity rate high, but the mortality rate is low if treated.
- Diagnosis - PCR of fecal or small intestinal tissue samples;
new ELISA-based serologic test. - Treatment - debilitated ferrets with aggressive fluid therapy,
antibiotics, and supportive care, and isolate them from
asymptomatic or unexposed ferrets. - After recovering, some adults develop a persistent, intermittent malabsorption syndrome with tan, seed-like
diarrhea. - The clinical course can last weeks to months; prednisone,
easily absorbed diet, and Tylosin powder may help. * Ferret systemic coronavirus (FSCV) - see below.
23
Q
Rotavirus in ferrets
A
- Farm outbreaks of diarrhea associated with high morbidity and
mortality rates in neonatal kits from 2 to 6 weeks of age; morbidity
low in adults, but transient, green, mucoid diarrhea. - Diagnosis is by PCR testing of fecal or tissue samples (jejunum or
ileum), - Treatment - supportive.
24
Q
canine distemper in ferrets
A
- Highly contagious paramyxovirus, usually fatal in unvaccinated
ferrets. - Clinical signs - include diarrhea, nasal and ocular discharges, and a
generalized orange-tinged dermatitis. - Vaccination has greatly limited its incidence.
25
Q
Parasitic Disease in ferrets
A
- Outbreaks of Eimeria furonis in groups of densely populated ferrets; all
ages; acute diarrhea and dehydration. - Giardia is rarely isolated, and clinical significance is unknown.
- Cryptosporidiosis is described, but may not result in clinical disease. Young
ferrets can have subclinical infections of Cryptosporidium parvum, and coccidial oocysts can be shed by clinically normal ferrets; zoonotic potential unknown but warn the owner.
26
Q
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
A
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a relatively common cause of gastroenteritis in ferrets; young or middle-aged; one ferret in multiple-ferret household.
- Pathogenesis unknown; lymphoplasmacytic inflammation in the stomach and small intestine, varied severity; commonly overlooked.
- Distinguish from eosinophilic gastroenteritis (see below), which often involves multiple tissues and eosinophilia.
- Can have loose, seed-like stools, intermittent nausea, occasional vomiting, and weight loss.
- Clinical signs can be subtle and chronic, or some can have acute vomiting and lethargy.
- Blood tests may reveal an increase in liver enzymes and plasma globulins, and lymphocytosis is occasionally present; laboratory
tests may be unremarkable. - Diagnosis - clinical signs; a detailed clinical history that eliminates
the possibility of exposure to ECE; and results of diagnostic tests; intestinal lymphoma is the primary differential diagnosis; histologic examination of multiple gastric and intestinal biopsy samples. - Empirical treatment is common - prednisone, azathioprine; hypoallergenic diets (avoid grain-free formulations - cysteine uroliths).
27
Q
Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis
A
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is uncommon in ferrets.
- Chronic diarrhea, with or without mucus and blood, and severe
weight loss. - Granulomas and a thickened bowel may be palpable.
- Clinical signs - may be indistinguishable from persistent ECE, but
animals are older than 6 months; peripheral eosinophilia is
common and highly suggestive. - No pathogens found, food allergy?
- Treatment - remission possible with prednisone.
