From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2003-08-06 02:39:49 UTC
Subject: RE: Pyogranulomatous enteritis of unknown etiology.
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <4810115.1060137589543.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Dear Stacia:
The pathologist made the most likely call here - especially if there was a =
lot of steatitis. Whenever there is leakage from the gut lumen into either=
the wall of the gut or the abdominal cavity, pyogranulomatous inflammation=
- a combination of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes is usually wh=
at occurs. You can see this after recent surgery, with a response to sutur=
e material, some fungal infections, and Mycobacterium avium, although the l=
ast two should demonstrate the presence of organisms with special stains.
Whenever we say that something is highly unlikely, it often turns out to be=
exactly what it is. Ferrets are very unpredictable little creatures.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
Author wrote:
> Hello all, =
> I recently lost another of my ferrets after emergency exploratory reveale=
d =
> two bowel perforations, friable intestines, and a small gastric foreign b=
ody =
> comprised of hair and cloth material that was thought to be relatively ne=
w and =
> possibly secondary to nausea/discomfort as he was never a chewer. Krish=
na was =
> about 6 or 7 years old, had recently started showing signs of possible ad=
renal =
> disease and also had a recent diagnosis of insulinoma that was being =
> controlled with a low dose of Pediapred. Possibly of note is that he did=
have a VERY =
> difficult time when we were struck with ECE in 1998 and almost didn't mak=
e it. =
> He required several months of intensive nursing care before finally =
> recovering, but did have some off-and-on problems with diarrhea most of h=
is life after =
> ECE. =
> Tissue samples obtained during surgery were sent out for histopath and th=
e =
> report just came back as pyogranulomatous enteritis of unknown etiology. =
No =
> microorganisms were isolated. No mention of lymphoma. Possible cause li=
sted by =
> pathologist was penetrating foreign body, but that is highly unlikely. =
> Unfortunately, I didn't have a necropsy done as I was certain that the pa=
thology =
> report would come back as intestinal lymphoma- that's what I get for thin=
king, =
> but even the vet was relatively sure that was going to be the ultimate fi=
nding- =
> he presented almost exactly like Bonzai had last fall and the gross findi=
ngs =
> during surgery were the same as with Bonzai, except in Krishna's case the=
re =
> was a massive amount of steatitis present at the time of surgery.
> Anyway, while I know no one can tell me anything for certain, I was just =
=
> wondering if anyone had any ideas on other possible causes. =
> Thanks!
> Stacia
> You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with p=
ets. =
> Nora Ephron =
> <A HREF=3D"http://www.aferretfreak.crosswinds.net">http://aferretfreak.cr=
osswinds.net</A>
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> =
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