Diagnosis of Liver Disease in Domestic Ferrets (Mustela Putorius)

Abstract

Liver disease in ferrets is often subclinical and underdiagnosed. Clinical pathology and diagnostic imaging are needed to guide clinicians but definite diagnosis is based on histopathologic lesions. Inflammatory digestive conditions can lead to ascending tract infection and hepatobiliary inflammation. Ferrets have a specific sensitivity to hepatic lipidosis. Incidence of hepatic neoplasia is high in ferrets. After a summary of anatomy and physiology of the ferret liver, hepatic diseases known in ferret species are reviewed with their subsequent diagnostic procedures.

Gall bladder rupture associated with cholecystitis in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius)

“…, Brain et al. , Huynh and Laloi ). In ferrets, some findings suggest that the same pathogenesis can be extrapolated.…”

“…Blood analyses are useful tools to screen for subclinical liver disease in ferrets (Huynh & Laloi ). However, some cases of hepatitis do not trigger elevation of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase or bilirubin as observed in this ferret (Burgess ).…”

First report on natural infection with Leishmania infantum in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) in Spain

“…Inflammatory, infectious and toxic hepatic disease. Hepatic lipidosis, and hepatic neoplasia are the most common hepatic diseases encountered in this species (Huynh and Laloi, 2013). Hepatic disease often remains subclinical, which may lead to difficulties in diagnosis.…”

Rift Valley Fever Virus Infection Causes Acute Encephalitis in the Ferret

“…Several of the animals (infected and controls) were noted to have incidental findings of mild distal tubular mineralization in the kidney as well as mild patchy urothelial cell anisocytosis and syncytialization that were unlikely to be associated with RVFV infection. Infected and control animals had various degrees of mild to moderate lymphocytic periportal inflammatory infiltrates in the liver, which is not uncommon among ferrets (37). Four of the 13 infected animals had foci of mixed inflammation accompanied by residual hepatocyte necrosis ( Fig.…”