From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-05-26 22:32:00 UTC
Subject: Re: elevated calcium
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., dori garro <moosemom_us@y...> wrote:
> hello again,
>
> did some bloodwork on a ferret this week; 4 year old
> female with a large mass on the right side of the
> abdomen; was supposed to be a pre-surgical panel.
> the calcium was about 16 (normal up to 9.2 or so).
> differentials???? do lymphoma and other neoplasias
> leap to the top of the list as in other species?
> lymphocyte count was normal and was about 30% of the
> total white blood cell count. this does not rule out
> lymphoma, but.....
>
> rob garro d.v.m.
Dear Rob,
Hypercalcemia is generally not very common in ferrets. the
hypercalcemia of malignancy of course has to be considered, and
lymphoma certainly can do it. Abdominal masses are most commonly
adrenal in origin, and I don't think I have ever seen one of those
result in hypercalcemia.
I think that actually renal disease is probably a more common cause,
but of cause that would show up in other tests as well.
A normal lymphocyte count with about 30% of the differential sounds
pretty textbook to me. I'd be intersted in hearing what the biopsy
shows on this ferret, and if the calcium drops after removal....
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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