From:
Alicia
Date: 2001-10-23 06:21:00 UTC
Subject: advice sought on Lawsonian's diagnosis
Dr Williams and other list vets,
I am looking for some information on a personal Ferret Ashlee. Ashlee is
a late alter jill ( altered age 4 - having no litters as she cohabitated
with a v-hob). Her spay was preceded by her cagemate falling victim to
insulinoma and therefore could not cycle her naturally. Since the onset of
advanced insulinoma with cagemate Ashlee has displayed green, thready poops.
It was initially felt a stress result from the illness and death of her
cagemate however she did not respond to amoxy & carafate regimen. She
was having wobbly episodes which the vet was not sure were caused by
insulinoma or lack of digestive processing so Ashlee went to the vets for
exploratory. Her adrenals at age 5 1/2 looked perfect, her pancreas seemed
okay too! Her intestines were off and a section was taken and forwarded to
Northwest Zoopath. the diagnosis read:
1. Marked proliferative ileitis/ colitis
2. Marked reactive lymphoid hyperplasia with mild architectural and
cellular atypia and with marked edema, lymph node.
Comments: Histologic changes in the alimentary tract are severe and vary
somewhat from the more typical inflammatory bowel disease processes that we
see. I suspect there may be an infectious agent associated with this
condition in the ferret, and a special stain is pending in this
regard. Changes in the lymph node are reactive and attributed to antigenic
stimulation associated with the gut lesion. There is some mild atypia in
the lymph node suggesting potential for future transformation to lymphoma
provided the stimulus cannot be removed.
Addendum, 10/16/01: A Warthin-Starry stain reveals large numbers of
filamentous bacteria in the apical aspects of the hyperplastic mucosal
epithelium. Morpholgical features of the lesion and the microorganisms
within the lesion are classic for Lawsonia infection. This condition has
been referred to as "proliferative ileitis".
Any help in suggesting treatment would be helpful . Ashlee is receiveing
carafate suspension several times daily, amoxycillan, and since her
transfer back home the loose brown stool has become dark green droplets
again, her appetite is off. As owner and layman I suspect a progressive
treatment protocol appears to be in order for any chance of recovery and
return to better health.
Your help is appreciated.
Alicia Drakiotes