From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2007-02-09 20:01:10 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Toxoplasmosis questions
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
There was a recent link in the Ferret Mailing List about how
toxoplasmosis is killing sea otters in whom it does a lot of brain
damage. In that case litter flushed down toilets is thought to be
how the disease winds up in mollusks the otters eat. They are not
alone. The disease is being investigated as a cause of fatal
congestive heart disease in Fennec Foxes:
http://www.vetcontact.com/en/art.php?a=783&t=
> Necropsy findings were compatible with a diagnosis of congestive
> heart failure caused by myocarditis.
>
> Histopathology showed a disseminated infection with Toxoplasma
> gondii causing myocarditis, skeletal polymyositis, gastrointestinal
> myositis, and panuveitis.
>
> Toxoplasma-induced myocarditis should be included in the
> differential diagnosis of heart failure and retinochoroiditis in
> the fennec fox.
Toxoplasmosis is contracted by eating uncooked or undercooked meat of
any type of infected animal, OR from the feces of infected cats (not
other animals so far though it always pays for pregnant women to let
their hubbies clean any type of animal feces or litter box).
Like many other animals ferrets can suffer infection by
toxoplasmosis. In ferrets it at times can be among the non-standard
causes of seizures and other neural signs:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7131
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG10192
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7822
but from this it sounds like the rate was low 4 years ago (I don't
know about now.):
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG5592
Has toxoplasmosis ever been investigated in the ferret in relation to
cardiomyopathy? (I will keep searching as time allows.)
(BTW, one documented thing for increasing *rates* of cardiomyopathy
across a range of mammals is having neural crest genetic variants.
This is especially true for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, so when we
have ones who have white heads, or head blazes, or extraneous white
spotting we do extra testing on them over the years and start old age
testing earlier. One hypothesis for why the cardiomyopathy rates
increase is from damage to the sympathetic nervous system if I recall
correctly.)
Sukie (not a vet)
Current FHL address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth
People can join there or can send a blank mail to the automated
joining address:
ferrethealth-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
and then follow the directions.
(The second is recommended for those having problems with Yahoogroups
web settings, and afterward send a blank mail from your subscribed
address to
ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
to get the digest instead of individual mails. )
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/