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To all that are following this case:
 
I am extremely hesitant to consider this case, based on the submitted
histories and especially the path report - any type of new or mystery
disease.
 
This is a case of systemic sepsis, which is a disseminated bacterial
infection throughout the body.  These are not uncommon cases - there
are many ways that bacteria can enter the bloodstream - through a wound,
through an abscess, or through a hole in the GI system, such as an ulcer,
or a hole in the GI tract.
 
If we look at this particular path report - there is a clear mention of
eosinophilic inflammation in the muscular layers of the intestine, and
in an abdominal lymph node.  This is very suggestive of a disease called
eosinophilic enteritis, and a case that has proceeded relatively far.
This disease can result in perforation, and I surmise this may have
happened - resulting in leakage of bacteria from the gut into the
abdomen, inflammation of the abdomen (called peritonitis), and entrance
of bacteria into the bloodstream.  The presence of bacteria outside of
the gut, and in the bloodstream is what has resulted in the spiking fever
and the high white count over time.  In addition, this animal apparently
has other problems - insulinoma being #1.
 
This is a serious clinical picture, and one that will require a number of
concurrent treatments - high doses of antibiotics to fight the infection,
steroids to combat the eosinophilic enteritis (which causes a problem, as
it decreases the immune response, and impairs the body's ability to fight
infection), and eventually, treatment for insulinoma.
 
However, it is not a new disease - and we should not be thinking that we
are dealing with an outbreak situation here.  Sepsis is not an uncommon
finding in ferrets or any species for that matter, and is simply the end
result of a complex array of factors and coincidences that allow the
release of bacteria into the bloodstream.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4270]