From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-02-27 19:00:00 UTC
Subject: Re: ECE -- Part Two of Pathologist Report
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., FERRETNT@a... wrote:
.
> Microscopic diagnoses:
> Slide 1:
> 1. Lungs: There is moderate widespread acute congestion and edema.
> 2. Urinary bladder: There are no significant microscopic lesions.
> 3. Intestines: There is a moderate increase in small mature
lymphocytes and
> plasma cells throughout the lamina propria. Moderate edema and
vascular
> congestion are present.
> 4. Thymus: There are no significant microscopic lesions.
> 5. Heart: There are no significant microscopic lesions.
>
> Comments
> After microscopic and macroscopic evaluation of tissues, the most
significant
> changes were limited to the gastrointestinal tract. The reactive
and
> inflammatory changes found throughout the intestines are
nonspecific, but are
> felt to be characteristic of ferret episodic catarrhal enteritis.
This
> disorder is one of relatively
> high morbidity but low mortality, and often can affect multiple
animals in a
> household.
> It is presumably caused by a coronavirus and can be spread through
fecal
> material.
>
Dear Nancy:
Unfortunately, the characteristic lesions of ECE were really not
described, but that may be due to the level of decomposition in the
intestine. This is a common problem, when ferrets with GI disease
are not posted quickly enough.
However, as I know this particular pathologist (and he's pretty good
as well as conscientious), I think he would gladly send the blocks on
this case over for a second opinion and maybe some additional
testing. Right now a diagnosis of ECE is still pretty much based on
supposition and clinical signs, rather than any hard findings on the
pathology report.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM