From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-11-12 07:56:00 UTC
Subject: Re: What can you tell me about holey spleen
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Jen & Andre" <jen.andre@i...> wrote:
> An ultrasound showed that Newton's spleen looks like swiss cheese.
I've looked up lymphoma and splenomegaly but I haven't come across
anything about a spleen full of holes. There isn't a bit of it that
doesn't look like a very coarse sponge, would the spaces
("hypoechoic") be destroyed tissue? tumors? Has anyone seen this
before?
Dear Jen - Ultrasound is a poor diagnstoic test to use on a spleen.
Many appear to have holes, as the spleen is composed of red pulp,
which is loosely arrange and large filled with blood, and while pulp,
which are dense areas of lymphocytes which surround blood vessels.
While there may be processes which accentuate this pattern in an
enlarged spleen, such as splenic infarcts, or tumors, it is very
difficult to tell what is going on by ultrasound, and even more
difficult to tell by a description of one.
If the spleen is enlarged to the point where it is causing the ferret
problems in eating or moving around, then have it removed and
examined by a pathologist. That's the best way to help the ferret
and get the answers that you need.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM