There are also a number of influenza ones but they did not seem as
applicable to ferret care as the one I carried in a while back about
how different strains of influenza behave differently in ferrets.
Useful numbers for vets to have handy:
J Small Anim Pract. 2012 Feb;53(2):115-9.
doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2011.01173.x.
Urine specific gravity values in clinically healthy young pet ferrets
(Mustela furo).
Eshar D, Wyre NR, Brown DC.
Source
VetExotics, Kefar Haoranim, Israel Department of Clinical Studies -
Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center, University of Pennsylvania,
3900 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Abstract
Objectives: To determine urine specific gravity values in clinically
healthy pet ferrets and explore possible associations with sex,
sampling techniques, hydration status and urine analytes. Methods:
Sixty-nine entire ferrets of both sexes, under one year of age, were
included in this study. Physical examination, complete blood count,
blood biochemistry, urine microscopy, urine dipstick and urine specific
gravity were performed on allferrets. Urine specific gravity was
determined using a handheld urine refractometer. Statistical analysis
was performed to determine urine specific gravity value intervals and
to test for associations with sex, sample collection method, packed
cell volume, plasma total protein concentrations and urine analytes.
Results: Urine specific gravity differed by sex in ferrets as females
exhibited a lower urine specific gravity (P<0.001). There was no
significant correlation between urine specific gravity, sampling
method, packed cell volume/total protein and urine dipstick analytes.
Mean urine specific gravity reported in this study was 1.051 for
entire males (sd +/-9; range 1.034 to 1.070) and 1.042 for entire
females (sd +/-8; range 1.026 to 1.060).
Clinical Significance: Results of this study may allow clinicians to
have a more accurate evaluation of the ability of those animals to
concentrate urine by comparing their urine specific gravity results
to those obtained from this cohort of clinically healthy animals.
(c) 2012 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
PMID: 22283794 [PubMed - in process]
---
IMPORTANT!
Notice that ferrets with CDV will NOT always have the full suite of
symptoms:
J Virol. 2012 Jan 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Canine Distemper Virus Epithelial Cell Infection Is Required for
Clinical Disease but not for Immunosuppression.
Sawatsky B, Wong XX, Hinkelmann S, Cattaneo R, von Messling V.
Source
INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, University of Quebec, Laval, Canada.
Abstract
To characterize the importance of infection of epithelial cells for
morbillivirus pathogenesis, we took advantage of the severe disease
caused by canine distemper virus (CDV) in ferrets. To obtain a CDV
unable to enter epithelial cells but retaining the ability to enter
immune cells, we transferred to its attachment (H) protein two
mutations shown to interfere with the interaction of measles virus H
with its epithelial receptor, human nectin-4. As expected for an
epithelial receptor (EpR)-blind CDV, this virus infected dog and ferret
epithelial cells inefficiently, and did not cause cell fusion or
syncytia formation. On the other hand, the EpR-blind CDV replicated
in cells expressing canine signaling lymphocyte activation molecule
(SLAM), the morbillivirus immune cell receptor, with similar kinetics
as wild type CDV. While ferrets infected with wild type CDV died within
12 days after infection after developing severe rash and fever, animals
infected with the EpR-blind virus showed no clinical signs of disease.
Nevertheless, both viruses spread rapidly and efficiently in immune
cells, causing similar levels of leukopenia and inhibition of
lymphocyte proliferation activity, two indicators of morbillivirus
immunosuppression. Infection was documented in airway epithelia of
ferrets infected with wild type CDV, but not in animals infected with
the EpR-blind virus, and only animals infected with wild type CDV shed
virus. Thus epithelial cell infection is necessary for clinical disease
and efficient virus shedding but not immunosuppression.
PMID: 22278252 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
---
Cousins:
This is intriguing: digestibility and utilization of some nutrients
were best at 34% protein, not at higher or lower levels in the mink:
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2012 Feb 4.
doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01267.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Effects of dietary protein levels on digestibility of nutrients and
growth rate in young female mink (Mustela vison).
Zhang TT, Zhang ZQ, Gao XH, Yang FH, Xing XM.
Source
Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,
Beijing, China
State Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Molecular Biology,
Jilin, China
Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Science, Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Science, Jilin, China.
Abstract
This study investigated digestibilities of nutrients and feed
efficiency in female mink at the different dietary protein levels
during the mink growth period. Effects of dietary protein on growth
performance of minks were also measured. Sixty 45-day-old healthy
female minks were randomly assigned to 6 treatment groups with 10
animals in each group. Animals were fed diets varying in protein
levels: 28% (Group I), 30% (Group II), 32% (Group III), 34% (Group IV),
36% (Group V) and 38% (Group VI), respectively. The digestibilities of
key nutrients were determined on Day 14 after initiating the experiment
and the last 3âdays. From the beginning of the study, body weight and
feed intake were weighed and recorded every other week in order to
calculate the average daily bodyweight gain and the feed efficiency.
The trial had demonstrated that nitrogen intake was greatly
significantly different, which was affected by dietary protein levels
(pâ<â0.001). Growth performance of minks was impaired when dietary
protein level was at 28%. When dietary protein level was at 34%, minks
had the best daily gains, feed efficiency, and digestibilities of some
key nutrients.
(c)9 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
PMID: 22304242 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
---
Those with strong food interests and breeding interest may well find
this raises questions they want to investigate further:
Mol Ecol. 2012 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05436.x. [Epub
ahead of print]
Environmental and genetic influences on body mass and resting metabolic
rates (RMR) in a natural population of weasel Mustela nivalis.
Zub K, Piertney S, Szafranska, PA, Konarzewski M.
Source
Mammal Research Institute PAS, Biatowieza, Poland School of Biological
Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK University in Biatystok,
Biatystok, Poland.
Abstract
Body mass (BM) and resting metabolic rates (RMR) are two inexorably
linked traits strongly related to mammalian life histories. Yet,
there have been no studies attempting to estimate heritable variation
and covariation of BM and RMR in natural populations. We used a
marker-based approach to construct a pedigree and then the 'animal
model' to estimate narrow sense heritability (h(2)) of these traits in
a free-living population of weasels Mustela nivalis -- a small carnivore
characterised by a wide range of BM and extremely high RMR. The most
important factors affecting BM of weasels were sex and habitat type,
whereas RMR was significantly affected only by seasonal variation
of this trait. All environmental factors had only small effect on
estimates of additive genetic variance of both BM and RMR. The amount
of additive genetic variance associated with BM and estimates of
heritability were high and significant in males (h(2) = 0.61), but
low and not significant in females (h(2) = 0.32), probably due
to small sample size for the latter sex. The results from the two-trait
model revealed significant phenotypic (r(P) = 0.62) and genetic
correlation (r(A) = 0.89) between BM and whole body RMR. The estimate
of heritability of whole body RMR (0.54) and BM corrected RMR (0.45)
were lower than estimates of heritability for BM. Both phenotypic and
genetic correlations between BM corrected RMR and BM had negative
signals (r(P) = -0.42 and r(A) = -0.58). Our results indicate that
total energy expenditures of individuals can quickly evolve through
concerted changes in BM and RMR.
(c) 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
PMID: 22289133 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Abstracts and press releases are written to be shared, so this is not
a copyright violation.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
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)
[Posted in FML 7331]
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