To Lindi concerning various tumors:
 
        Lindi, the most common cause of vulvar swelling in females, by far, is
an adrenal lesion that is producing excessive estrogen (causing the syndrome
known as "adrenal-associated endocrinopathy".  Only when that has been addressed
(has it been in this case?  I can't remember the specifics), should we start
looking for ectopic ovarian tissue.  Ectopic ovarian tissue is very difficult to
find, and in some cases, is never found.
        Concerning adrenal tumors and lymphosarcoma - yes, I have seen them
occur concurrently.  Both are very common neoplasms in older ferrets, so it
would not be unusual to see them together.
 
        One thing that concerns me about blood tests, though.  Adrenal tumors
very rarely cause characteristic changes in the blood profile (according to Dr
Fox's recent excellent article on this condition.)  As I have long said - if you
have the clincial signs - vulvar swelling, hair loss, etc, schedule the surgery.
 Also, there is "common knowledge" around in the veterinary fields that
elevatedd numbers of lymphocytes in the blood suggest possible or incipient
lymphosarcoma.  However, I'm not sure where this came from, and I personally
don't believe it.  High numbers of lymphocytes can also come from chronic
infections, and I see chronic Helicobacter infections of the stomach is almost
every ferret over the age of 4, which could, and possibly does account for these
elevated numbers of lymphocytes.  Sure a small number of these animals with
elevated lymphocytes go on to develop lymphosarcoma, but a small number of
animals without it do too.  So be careful when your vet says that elevated
lymphocytes means lymphoma.
        The best way to diagnose lymphoma is to take a lymph node from the back
leg (they get along great without them) and look at it underneath the
microscope.  I occasionally get lymph nodes from the inside of the abdomen to
look at because they are big, but they are usually inflamed due to the gastric
Helicobacter infection (or this is what is shows in the cases in which both a
biopsy of the stomach and the large node was sent.  In the cases of when the
lymph node was sent without a piece of stomach - I can only surmise this.)
        The cases of lymphoma diagnosed by a blood test are EXCEEDINGLY rare.
 
        I look forward to further news about this case.
 
 
To everyone concerned about heartworm disease in ferrets.
 
        I took a few minutes to call a veterinarian, Dr. Debra Kemmerer in
Gainesville Fl, who has been working with heartworm disease in ferrets, and I
thought that I would pass on what she has told me.
 
        She recommends all ferrets in heartworm endemic areas (ask your vet if
your local is heartworm-endemic - generally southern areas have higher rates of
heartworms due to increased numbers of mosquitoes).
 
        She is currently using ivermectin inthe ferret at the dose of 10
micrograms/lb.  She mixes her own liquid formula at 100 mcg/ml, and gives each
ferret 1/1`oth of a ml per pound of body weight.
 
        The reason she mixes her own is that in the tablet form that most
heartworm prevention is available for in dogs, the drug is not spread evenly
throughout the tablet, so that if you are breaking the tablet and giving your
ferrets a piece of the tablet, you may be giving them too little, or worse, too
much.
 
        For your vets, prior to using prevention, the ferrets (like dogs) can be
tested with antigen kits (not a direct smear, as many infections are "occult" in
ferrets, and do not shed the baby worms in the blood, as they do in the dog.)
Dr. Kemmerer says that the best (and only) effective test out their is
Rhone-Merieux's "Vet-Red Heartworm Detection Kit".  All others are either not
effective in diagnosing the disease, or need extensive modification.
 
        She has been formulating her own preventative in liquid, easy-dosing
form for 7 years now, and has NOT seen any side effects.  She does caustion,
however, that it must be dispensed in an amber bottle, so it doesn't degrade in
sunlight.
 
        She also advocates that prevention is the way to go here - she expects
to lose 50% of the animals treated for heartworm disease.
 
        I hope that everyone on the FML will apprise their vets of these
comments.  For more information about heartworm disease in ferrets, or how to
prescribe ivermectin in the ferret, you may contact Dr. Debra Kemmerer at WEst
End Animal Veterinary Hospital, Gainesville, FL at 904-332-4357.
 
Bruce Williams
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[Posted in FML issue 0729]