http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922
&messageid=5053&startid=5056
 
Author wrote:
>My vet is telling me my ferret has JL. She has used two blood tests
>and chemestries to determine this. My ferret has lymphocites at 63%,
>globulin 3.45, and two enzymes that indicate there's something going
>on with the liver. Could she be jumping the gun? I suggested she
>take a fecal sample to rule out any sort of infection (I'm dropping
>my ferret off on Friday for this). Does anyone else have any ideas?
>I only wonder because my other ferret had something similiar wrong
>with her (lethargy, dropping weight) and then she took some heavy
>duty antibiotics for another problem (gunk on her tail). She got
>better immediately.
>
>                   Katherine
 
First of all, you have not mentioned the age of this ferret - JL is
primarily a disease of ferrets under the age of 2.
 
But the most important test in JL is a good series of X-rays of the
chest and abdomen.  Without enlargement of the liver, spleen, or
thymus, the diagnosis is very hasty.  Hepatic enzyme elevation
(especially ALT and alkaline phosphatase) will happen over time in
any sick ferret.  Elevated lymphocytes and globulins suggest chronic
smouldering infection.  A good long standing GI inflammatory disease
will show all of the signs that you are describing (although to make
that diagnosis on such limited information would also be a very hasty
thing to do as well.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4182]