From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2003-03-30 04:35:09 UTC
Subject: RE: 5 Year Old New Zealand Ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <14322843.1048998909567.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Dear MC:
The liver values really aren't that bad, and this is what you would expect with an animal that is not eating properly. The WBC isn't mentioned, and I would expect it to be in a case of kidney inflammation.
The aspirate suggests some form of nephritis. With the history of bilateral marked enlargement, an ascending bacterial infection which has resulted in impeding urine outflow (hydronephrosis). this is most commonly seen in female ferrets.
Yes, ADV does cross my mind, as in this disease, the end-stage kidneys are indeed larger than normal (although not usually 3x) and you see a lot of antibody-secreting plasma cells in the kidney.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
Author wrote:
> Group members..
> This was posted to another list by mistake, that list being confused for this one...moderators, the poster is my vet, Dr.
> Katie Rohrer-Weldon, V.M.D.
> She has tried to join but the subscribe gets rejected...
> So..I am reposting her post here and hopefully, one or more of the great vets here can give us some answers.
> Thank you in advance!
> MC
> ************
> I had an interesting case present to me about 2-1/2 weeks ago.
> (I am a veterinarian in Reno, NV.) One of my clients brought his
> ferret in with a 3 day history of weight loss. The ferret (Tuzi)
> had become lethargic the morning she was brought into my hospital.
> She is a 5 year old intact female New Zealand ferret, who has
> tested a "no read" on the United ADV test. (Therefore, she is
> neither positive nor negative by their standards.) She has never
> had exposure to U.S. ferrets.
> We ran bloodwork, and at that time she had very elevated liver
> values (ALT=628, AST=157, AlkP=94, albumin=2.3, globulin=3.1,
> glucose=252, BUN=22, Creat=0.8, HCT=52.6). We began
> force-feeding her, and started metronidazole and amoxicillin.
> Follow-up bloodwork showed an improvement in liver values
> (ALT=234, AST=64, AlkP=97, albumin=1.8 (worse), BUN=31,
> Creat=0.7, glucose=110, HCT=32.6). We sent her home
> because she was feeling better and eating well on her own. She
> returned about 1-1/2 weeks later, and on physical exam, her
> kidneys were 3x normal size !! (They had been normal size when
> she was in the hospital previously!)
> We had an ultrasound performed, and the needle aspirate
> cytology of the kidneys came back with increased numbers of mixed
> inflammatory cells, primarily lymphocytes. Also seen were
> some plasma cells, with occasional "flame cells" (which can
> sometimes form with plasma cell tumors, per the pathologist).
> The pathologist also noted that the changes were most consistent
> with nephritis (kidney inflammation), although the specific cause
> is not apparent. The liver cytology came back inconclusive
> (mostly blood).
> I was wondering if anyone out there has had anything similar
> diagnosed in their patients/pets, and what the end result was. We
> placed this ferret on prednisolone 0.5 mg orally twice a day for
> the nephritis (kidney inflammation). I know that without a kidney
> biopsy, it will be difficult to assess if this is truly cancer or simply inflammation.
> I look forward to hearing your input!!