From:
"Ulrike"
Date: 2004-08-15 15:49:52 UTC
Subject: Need help with histopathology report
To: "Ferrethealth" <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-Id: <411F8620.000007.03156@FERRETLOVE1>
Baby was 7-8 years old, spayed at 1-2 years old, and I had her put to sleep
at the end of July. We thought that she had lymphoma but really she had CRF
Her lymph nodes were covered with a lot of fat. At the end of last year
she looked like she had adrenal disease, she'd lost a lot of her coat. We
did an abdominal exploratory but the adrenal glands looked fine so we left
them. Baby grew her coat back after surgery. The report now said there was
adrenal hyperplasia (the adrenal gland was still very small though and my
vet only found the left one and could not find the right, could it have
atrophied?), is that what adrenal disease is and does that cause clinical
signs? She had a lot of fat in her abdomen and chest cavity, what could
have caused that? The adrenal hyperplasia? She had been on pred for a
month before her death. Could pred cause this amount of fat? If anybody
wants to see pictures, they're here:
www.ferretlove.co.uk/babypm.htm
I would just like to know what the report says. My vet explained it to me
quickly but still using veterinary terms, I think she thinks I understand
all the vet language... ;-)
HISTORY
Lethargy, inappetence, PD, abdominal distension, Splenomegaly not verified
on post mortem.
Chronic Renal Failure
Prognosis Not Applicable
Histologic findings:
Kidney (slide 1, 2 sections): Several wdge-shaped areas in the renal cortex
with a depressed capsular surface contain interstitial fibrosis, the tubules
are either lost or distended and with attenuated epithelium, sometimes
filled with hypereosinophilic material (protein casts). In one area, the
tubular epithelium is completely lost and replaced by basophilic mineralized
material. Glomeruli in these areas are absent or have a very thickened
mesangium and shrunken tuft with variable degrees of fibrosis (glomerular
sclerosis). Similar changes, i.e. thickened mesangium and some increase in
cellularity are present in many other glomeruli across the sections examined
In some glomeruli, the epithelium of Bowmans capsule is separated from the
basement membrane by accumulation of palely eosinophilic amorphous material
(Congo Red negative-not amyloid). The interstitium of the renal medulla has
multifocal to coalescent fibroplasias (fibrosis) and compression or loss of
collecting ducts.
Lymph node (slide 1, 1 section): There is a uniform population of medium
size lymphocytes without clear germinal centers in the cortex and paracortex
The medullary sinuses are greatly distended by clear edema fluid. Several
clusters of plasma cells are present in the septa. Within the sinuses, many
macrophages are completely surrounded by erythrocytes that have attached to
the outer surface of their cellular membrane.
Adrenal gland (slide 1, 1 section): A focal proliferation of cortical cells
is present outside the adrenal capsule.
Liver (slide 2, 1 section): The surface contour is irregularly pitted. There
are several clusters of oval cell proliferation with frequent
differentiation towards small bile ducts present in the lobular parenchyma
and, less often, in portal zones. Several small arterioles are also present
within the lobular parenchyma (microvascular proliferation). Minimal areas
of hepatocellular necrosis with some neutrophils are present.
No significant lesions are present in the pancreas.
Comment:
The changes in the kidneys of this ferret are marked to severe and
characteristic of chronic renal failure (CRF). CRF very possibly caused the
clinical signs as glomerular injury is accompanied by protein loss and
polyuria, which would have resulted in polydipsia. The cause of CRF is often
difficult to pinpoint. Chronic inflammation with deposition of
antigen-antibody complexes in the glomerular basement membranes is often
associated with CRF development.
The liver had a mild bile duct hyperplasia and a multifocal microvascular
proliferation. Microvascular proliferation in adult animals generally
indicates some form of portal hypertension that stimulates the formation of
alternative vessels to relief the pressure.
The appearance of the lymph node examined suggests an early stage of
lymphosarcoma. There is cortical adrenal hyperplasia, not uncommon in
ferrets.