From:
"Tressie"
Date: 2009-06-04 18:29:31 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: ferret with possible spinal injury - further update
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
After Toby died I didn't feel comfortable that a necropsy wasn't done and then when someone asked whether a viral agent had been ruled out, I searched to see whether there was a virus that had symptoms consistent with Toby's i.e., acute presentation, rear to front progressive paralysis, tarry stool (but no teeth grinding), incontinence, weight loss and respiratory involvement. BINGO - Aleutian Disease!
I contacted the veterinary clinic immediately - my vet had left for the day but I did speak to his assistant who immediately started calling around pathology labs, including to those in other provinces, to see if any would accept a 'cold body.' He had removed Toby's remains from the freezer. And today he did find a pathology lab at the Atlantic Veterinary College who are experienced in ADV in mink and felt confident they could do it. However, it will be a more extensive analysis than a necropsy and referred to a post-mortem analaysis. They will examine every segment of his remains and the process takes a couple of weeks. The only thing that isn't viable of course would be serum.
In addition his companion's blood samples have been sent to the University of Guelph Veterinary Hospital to check for ADV in case he may be a silent carrier.
Two points I hope are gleaned from this post:
1. It is possible to do post-mortem analysis on a cold body
2. The importance of having a necropsy done
Tressie
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