Ferret with abdominal mass

5 Ferret with abdominal mass




INITIAL PRESENTATION


Weight loss in a ferret.



Introduction


This case embodies a frequent presentation in ferrets of weight loss, along with the common finding of an abdominal mass. The aim is to discuss possible investigations and outline treatment options for common conditions. (See Box 5.1 for a brief guide to ferrets in various parts of the world.)



BOX 5.1 Ferrets around the world



• In the UK, ferrets are kept for two reasons. Some are purely pet animals, some are used for working (‘ferreting’ utilizes the animals to hunt wild rabbits), and some are a combination of the two.

• Across the rest of Europe and in Russia, ferrets are variously kept as pets, for fur and for hunting.

• Pet ferrets are popular in Japan.

• Although banned in certain states in the USA, in others, ferrets are extremely popular as pets. They have also been used for medical research and the fur trade for many years.

• New Zealand has banned the keeping of pet ferrets since 2005.

• The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was rated extinct in the wild, but animals bred in captivity have been locally re-introduced in efforts to save the species.


CASE PRESENTING SIGNS


Chronic weight loss in an adult male neutered ferret (Mustela putorius furo).



Husbandry


The current owner had rescued the ferret 2 years prior to presentation. The animal had previously been castrated. He was housed with another ferret in an outdoor hutch on two levels. The animals had intermittent free-range access to a room in the owner’s house. The substrate was straw, with fleece material for bedding. During colder weather, the hutch was covered to protect the animals from inclement conditions. Cleaning was performed weekly.


The ferrets were on a commercial dry ferret diet, supplemented with occasional egg and cooked meat. They were offered water in a water bottle, which was changed daily.


Neither ferret had been vaccinated. There was potential for access to wild mink owing to the rural location of the hutch.



Case History


The ferret’s appetite had been reduced over the month prior to presentation, particularly with regard to the kibble, although he was still consuming small amounts of commercial cat food and cooked meat. Although the ferret had never been obese, his body condition had deteriorated markedly over the same time period. Historically, the ferret lost some body weight over the winter, but not to the extent seen this time.


The animal’s faeces were pale and loose, but no blood was seen. There was no history of vomiting or respiratory signs. Although he drank a considerable amount and urinated frequently, this was considered normal for the individual.


The companion ferret and other pets in the household did not show any signs of illness.



Clinical Examination


A clinical examination was performed, with the following findings:


• The ferret was bright, alert and responsive

• Body condition was poor (score 3 out of 9), with a weight of 570 g

• Mucous membranes were pink and moist, and capillary refill time was less than 2 seconds

• Teeth were in good condition, although a small chip was present on one canine

• No abnormalities were detected on thoracic auscultation. The heart rate was 360 beats per minute (normal range in an adult ferret is 180–250)

• Superficial lymph nodes were normal on palpation

• The intestines were thickened on palpation, and a mass was detected in the mid-cranial abdomen.


DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES


The differentials for anorexia are wide, with almost any illness resulting in this clinical sign. In many ferrets, only subtle signs of illness will be seen with chronic gastroenteritis.


The differentials for an abdominal mass (often with weight loss) in a ferret are:


• Splenomegaly:
• Idiopathic hypersplenism

• Neoplasia (see below)

• Infection (e.g. Aleutian disease (see below), fungal disease)

• Cardiac disease

• Endocrine disease (e.g. hyperadrenocorticism)

• Anaesthesia

• Gastrointestinal foreign body (Fig. 5.1) (common) or gastric trichobezoars

• Neoplasia (often occurs secondary to inflammatory disease):
• Lymphoma (see Box 5.2)

• Adrenal gland, e.g. adrenocortical adenoma, adenocarcinoma, teratoma. This case did not show any of the usual signs seen with functional adrenal gland tumours (e.g. alopecia, pruritus or behavioural changes). Adrenal enlargement may be non-neoplastic, e.g. hyperplasia

• Hepatic, e.g. lymphoma, haemangiosarcoma, adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular adenoma, metastases

• Splenic, e.g. lymphosarcoma, haemangioma, haemangiosarcoma

• Pancreatic, adenocarcinoma, insulinoma (although insulinomas are often small and the clinical signs of weakness and seizures do not correlate with this case)

• Gastrointestinal, e.g. adenocarcinoma

• Bladder, e.g. transitional cell carcinoma

• Reproductive tract, ovarian (e.g. leiomyoma, teratoma), uterine (e.g. leiomyoma, adenoma, fibrosarcoma), prostate (e.g. seminoma, carcinoma)

• Abscess (bacterial infection)

• Aleutian disease (viral): mass could be due to splenomegaly, mesenteric lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly; disease also results in chronic wasting, diarrhoea, lethargy, anorexia and polydipsia

• Thickened intestines may be palpated, e.g. intestinal lymphoma, eosinophilic granulomatous disease (uncommon), proliferative bowel disease (rare, caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, mostly animals <1.5 years old)

• Several conditions will result in mesenteric lymphadenopathy that may be palpable, e.g. intestinal lymphoma, inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic granulomatous disease (eosinophilic infiltration and granulomas of the abdominal lymphatics and organs), proliferative bowel disease, systemic infection, tuberculosis

• Renomegaly: renal cysts, acute renal failure, hydronephrosis (e.g. associated with urolithiasis obstructing kidney, ureteral or urethral blockage)

• Urolithiasis: uroliths in bladder, or distended bladder associated with uroliths blocking urethra

• Granulomas: tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis), non-tuberculous mycobacteria (e.g. M. genavense)

• Mycotic disease (usually causes lung pathology, but may affect abdominal organs) – blastomycosis (splenomegaly), coccidiomycosis (various organs), histoplasmosis (splenomegaly)

• Gastric bloat (rare): thought to be associated with bacterial overgrowth

• Prostatic disease (hobs), e.g. prostatomegaly with secondary urethral obstruction, prostatic abscess (may be in association with transitional cell tumours of the bladder)

• Pregnant (jills)

• Pyometra (jills).

image

Figure 5.1 (a–d) Radiographs showing a peanut foreign body in a ferret, and surgical removal.



BOX 5.2 Lymphoma in ferrets



• Often arises in the mesenteric lymph nodes, but may arise in gastrointestinal mucosa or metastasize there from elsewhere.

• Several types: lymphosarcoma (solid tissue tumours in organs or lymph nodes), lymphocytic leukaemia (neoplastic cells in both bone marrow and peripheral blood, acute or chronic forms)
• Adults: commonest, lymphocytic form, prolonged disease with better survival times than the lymphoblastic form

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Sep 3, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Ferret with abdominal mass

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