From:
Dr. Bruce Williams
Date: 2001-02-25 12:10:00 UTC
Subject: Fw: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: AutoImmune Disease in my
ferret
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "MARY" <sirk6@e...> wrote:
> I received this from a friend today. Unfortunately, the ferret is
no longer
> with us. Would this be pemphigus? Thank you
>
> Mary
>
> I went and got Happy's biopsy report. It said. In the
> >deep subcutis and within the skeletal muscle layer there are
sheets of
> >malignant poliferating polygonal cells. Diagnosis was Malignancy of
> >histiocytic origin of cells. My vet had attached a note that this
could
> >return in other locations and I was to watch her closely.
Dear Pat:
While somewhat non-committal, this biopsy report suggests a malignant
tumor, and the primary ruleout in this particular case, although not
mentioned in the report) would hav to be lymphoma. However, many
pathoogists are not terribly familar with ferret diseases, so they
hedged a bit in this case.
The main reason that this cannot be pemphigus is that pemphigus is a
disease of the epidermis, and this one is very deep, down in the
muscles. The outward appearance of this lesion is probably a lump
under the skin, which pemphigus is a blistering disease.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM
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