Diseases of the Digestive System

Chapter 15 Diseases of the Digestive System



THE FERRET


Digestive system disease in the ferret parallels those of the dog and cat. Dental diseases, diarrheas (infectious), gastrointestinal (GI) foreign bodies, neoplasia, and rectal disease are common occurrences in pet ferrets.



Dental Disease


Gingivitis and periodontal disease are common in older ferrets. Animals fed moist or semimoist diets or those high in sweets are most commonly affected. As in dogs and cats, as tartar accumulates on the tooth, inflammation of periodontal tissues occurs, causing dysphagia and drooling.



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Discolored teeth with tartar accumulation

• Halitosis

• +/− Loose or lost teeth

• +/− Pain on chewing

• +/− Drooling


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history

• Complete dental examination


TREATMENT



• Dental cleaning and extractions if necessary

• Prevention same as for cat and dog


INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS



• Ferrets’ teeth can be cleaned and brushed using cat-formulated products.

• Loose teeth should be extracted to prevent pain and further irritation to the surrounding tissues.



TECH ALERT


Ferrets have small oral cavities, and you will need to use a mouth speculum to properly examine the rear teeth.



Gastrointestinal Foreign Bodies


GI foreign bodies are common in ferrets. These animals are curious and love to chew, putting them at risk for swallowing almost anything they can chew on, particularly items of latex rubber or sponge materials. Hairballs can also cause obstruction in older ferrets.



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Lethargy

• Anorexia

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting (usually NOT reported by owner)

• Weakness: may be profound

• Slobbering, face rubbing


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history

• Radiography: +/− ileus, gas distension, visible foreign body

• Complete blood cell count (CBC) and serum chemistries


TREATMENT



• Surgical removal

• Intravenous (IV) fluids

• Antibiotics

• Use of cat laxatives can prevent the accumulation of hair in older ferrets


INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS



• Avoid giving ferrets unsupervised, free roam of the house.

• Do not give pet ferrets soft, rubber squeaky toys.

• Routinely use a cat laxative to prevent hairball obstruction in older ferrets.



TECH ALERT


Do not allow ferrets access to any rubber products; this may mean you need to watch them with tissue drains, catheter administration sets, and clinic toys.



Enteritis and Diarrhea


Most cases of enteritis and diarrhea can be related to bacterial or viral infections in the ferret. Salmonella, Mycobacteria, Campylobacter, rotavirus, canine distemper virus, and human flu virus may all be causes of diarrhea in the ferret. Epizootic catarrhal enteritis, a highly transmissible disease, is more common in older ferrets exposed to new or young ferrets that may be asymptomatic carriers. Inflammatory bowel disease does occur with some frequency in pet ferrets. Although the exact cause is unknown, it may be related to a hyperimmune response to dietary components.



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Diarrhea

• +/− Dehydration

• +/− Weight loss

• +/− Upper respiratory disease (human flu virus)


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history

• Fecal to rule out parasites (fairly uncommon in pet ferrets)

• Stool culture and sensitivity

• +/− Radiography to rule out foreign body

• CBC, serum chemistries

• Biopsy of affected bowel (inflammatory bowel disease)


TREATMENT



• Maintain hydration (subcutaneous [SQ], oral fluids)

• Antibiotics (per culture results or metronidazole and amoxicillin are good choices)

• Kaolin/pectin can be given orally to protect the intestines

• +/− Cortisone for inflammatory bowel disease and epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE)

• Change diet to easily absorbable food: I/D, Z/D


INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS



• Diagnosis of the exact cause of ferret diarrhea may be time consuming and require numerous tests.

• To avoid most cases of diarrhea, maintain routine diet, avoid foreign body ingestion, and do not allow the ferret access to garbage or other uncooked food sources.

• Avoid exposing your ferret to unvaccinated, young ferrets.


Wasting Disease in Ferrets


Helicobacter mustelae, proliferative bowel disease (PBD), and eosinophilic gastroenteritis can all cause diarrhea and wasting in ferrets. Most ferrets are exposed to H. mustelae as kits, becoming persistently infected but asymptomatic until later. Infection may result in mucous gland depletion in the stomach, followed by gastric ulceration or chronic gastritis. Stress is usually the underlying cause for development of clinical symptoms. PBD is caused by the bacteria Lawsonia intracellularis. Infection usually results in segments of the intestine becoming thickened by cellular infiltration of the intestinal wall. This disease, primarily transmitted by the fecal-oral route, is most common in young, fast-growing juveniles; stress also plays a role in development of clinical symptoms.



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Diarrhea with or without blood and mucous

• Wasting, rapid and severe

• Vomiting/nausea, pawing at mouth

• Dehydration

• Lethargy

• Anorexia

• +/− Anemia


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history

• CBC, serum chemistries; hypoalbunemia, anemia, with or without eosinophilia (10-35%)

• Radiography

• Stool culture and sensitivity

• Biopsy of affected tissue


TREATMENT



• Antibiotics:
Chloramphenicol for PBD (bacteria only sensitive to chloramphenicol)

Metronidazole and ampicillin for Helicobacter infection

• Cimetidine or other H2 blockers

• Corticosteroid therapy for eosinophilic gastroenteritis

• Bismuth subsalicylate

• Hypoallergic diet

• Ivermectin (for eosinophilic gastroenteritis)


Supportive care



• IV/SQ fluids


INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS



• Avoid exposure of your pet ferret to young ferrets whose Helicobacter status is unknown.

• Sick ferrets may need to be tube fed and have SQ fluids administered frequently.

• It may take a long time for the ferret to recover, even with aggressive and persistent treatment.


RODENTS


Digestive disturbances are frequent occurrences in rodents. Overgrowth of incisors is a common problem in rats, whereas enteritis/diarrhea is seen more commonly in gerbils and hamsters.



Overgrowth of the Incisors


The incisors of the rat grow constantly. If they are not worn down by chewing, they can overgrow and cause digestive problems (Fig. 15-1).


image

Figure 15-1 Overgrown incisors in a rat. Overgrown teeth can be cut with a high-speed drill.


(From Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW: Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents, ed 2, St Louis, 2004, Saunders, by permission.)



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Anorexia

• +/− Nasal discharge

• Overgrown incisors may prevent normal closure of the mouth


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history


TREATMENT



• May require sedation for proper trimming

• Use a high-speed dental drill for shortening the teeth; avoid using nail trimmers because they will result in enamel damage to the tooth

• Extraction may be needed if the teeth are nonfunctional or seriously damaged

• +/− Antibiotics if soft tissues are involved



TECH ALERT


The oral cavity of rodents is difficult to examine without sedation and a good oral speculum.



Sialodacryoadenitis in Rats


Inflammation of the cervical salivary glands occurs in rats, giving them the appearance of having the mumps. This highly contagious disease is the result of coronavirus infection.



CLINICAL SIGNS



• Rhinitis (initial symptom)

• Enlarged cervical lymph nodes

• Enlarged salivary glands and lacrimal glands

• +/− Ocular lesions of conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal ulceration


DIAGNOSIS



• Physical examination and history

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Aug 31, 2016 | Posted by in GENERAL | Comments Off on Diseases of the Digestive System

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