From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2011-07-09 15:39:02 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] abstracts
To: fhl <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733068
> Vet Ophthalmol. 2011 Jul;14(4):262-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-5224.2011.00885.x. Epub 2011 Apr 19.
> Cryptococcus gattii chorioretinitis in a ferret.
> Ropstad EO, Leiva M, Peña T, Morera N, Martorell J.
> Source
> Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Facultat de Veterinà ria, Servei d'Oftalmologia, Hospital ClÃnic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ClÃnica Exòtics Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Facultat de Veterinà ria, Servei d'Animals Exòtics, Hospital ClÃnic Veterinari, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
> Abstract
> Bilateral exudative chorioretinitis was diagnosed in an 18-month-old male neutered ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with a generalized Cryptococcus gattii infection confirmed by PCR. The animal was referred to the Ophthalmology Service of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (VTH-UAB) for acute onset blindness. Complete ophthalmic examination revealed absent menace response and dazzle reflex in both eyes (OU), as well as subretinal edema located in the tapetal fundus. At that time, the clinical ophthalmologic diagnosis was bilateral exudative chorioretinitis. Treatment with prednisone (0.5âmg/kg PO q24âh) was instituted in addition to the ongoing treatment with fluconazole (10âmg/kg PO q24âh). The following rechecks revealed secondary cataracts with subsequent lens subluxation and panretinal degeneration OU. Despite being blind and the poor prognosis of disseminate cryptococcosis, the patient remained active and in good body condition during 6âmonths after the initial diagnosis. At that time, the ferret showed ataxia, incontinence, and generalized pain. A magnetic resonance imaging study revealed a mass affecting the spine. The owners declined further investigations and the ferret was humanely euthanized. The postmortem histopathology confirmed the initial diagnosis of cryptococcosis and the presence of intraretinal Cryptococcus spp. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of Cryptococcus spp. induced exudative chorioretinitis in a ferret.
>
> © 2011 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
>
> PMID: 21733068 [PubMed - in process]
Another species in the family so there may or may not be vulnerability:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733133
> Transbound Emerg Dis. 2011 Aug;58(4):352-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2011.01212.x. Epub 2011 Mar 9.
> An investigation into alternative reservoirs of canine leishmaniasis on the endemic island of mallorca (Spain).
> Millán J, Zanet S, Gomis M, Trisciuoglio A, Negre N, Ferroglio E.
> Source
> Servicio de EcopatologÃa de Fauna Salvaje (SEFaS, Wildlife Diseases Research Group), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain âDepartment of Animal Production, Epidemiology and Ecology, University of Turin, Grugliasco, TO, Italy âFundació Natura Parc, Santa Eugènia, Balearic Islands, Spain.
> Abstract
> The role of wild and free-roaming domestic carnivores as a reservoir of Leishmania infantum was investigated on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), an endemic area for this disease. Serum, blood and/or spleen samples from 169 animals [48 dogs from a kennel, 86 wild-caught feral cats, 23 pine martens (Martes martes), 10 common genets (Genetta genetta) and two weasels (Mustela nivalis)] were analysed. Seroprevalence determined by Western blotting was 38% in dogs and 16% in feral cats, while the prevalence of infection determined by PCR was 44% in dogs, 26% in cats, 39% in pine martens and 10% in genets. This is the first report of infection by L. infantum in the pine marten or any other member of the Mustelidae family. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis found 33 different patterns in 23 dogs, 14 cats and three martens. Two patterns were shared by dogs and cats, two by different cats, and one by different dogs. Patterns were different to those previously reported in carnivores from peninsular Spain. No external lesions compatible with leishmaniasis were observed in any species other than the dogs. Although the dog is probably the primary reservoir of leishmaniasis in endemic areas, the prevalence and the absence of apparent signs of this disease within the island's abundant feral cat and pine marten populations could make these species potential primary or secondary hosts of L. infantum in Mallorca.
>
> © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
>
> PMID: 21733133 [PubMed - in process]
family, again:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21739130
> Naturwissenschaften. 2011 Jul 8. [Epub ahead of print]
>
> Prospective thinking in a mustelid? Eira barbara (Carnivora) cache unripe fruits
> to consume them once ripened.
>
> Soley FG, Alvarado-DÃaz I.
>
> Escuela de BiologÃa, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro,
> Costa Rica, fsoley@gmail.com.
>
> The ability of nonhuman animals to project individual actions into the future is
> a hotly debated topic. We describe the caching behaviour of tayras (Eira barbara)
> based on direct observations in the field, pictures from camera traps and radio
> telemetry, providing evidence that these mustelids pick and cache unripe fruit
> for future consumption. This is the first reported case of harvesting of unripe
> fruits by a nonhuman animal. Ripe fruits are readily taken by a variety of
> animals, and tayras might benefit by securing a food source before strong
> competition takes place. Unripe climacteric fruits need to be harvested when
> mature to ensure that they continue their ripening process, and tayras accurately
> choose mature stages of these fruits for caching. Tayras cache both native
> (sapote) and non-native (plantain) fruits that differ in morphology and
> developmental timeframes, showing sophisticated cognitive ability that might
> involve highly developed learning abilities and/or prospective thinking.
>
>
> PMID: 21739130 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
>
>
Sukie (not a vet)
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/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump off the cliff."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
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