http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Diseases/

is now up as an addition to the MSU Ferret Health Advancement site.
I'll make a few points here but there is a huge amount more at that
website.

<http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Diseases/Introduction_And_Neuropathology.pdf>

Provides a good introduction and parts can be useful when teaching
others about ferret basics.

Since they also do health work to help BFFs you will see a picture of
one of those, too.

After the general basics there is info on basic maintenance and on
common medical problems that anyone with a ferret needs to know about
and know how to recognize. These comprise an important minimum that
ferret people need to know.

Then it goes into some serious neural problems such as Neural Tube
Defects.

Some of the problems discussed in the various sections at the MSU
Ferret Health Advancement have genetic components such as color diluted
ferrets being more prone to neural tube defects. There is a photo
containing anecephalic fetuses. These fetuses can not survive out of
the uterus. These are fetuses who are missing a major portion of their
brain. I don't know if ferret fetuses with this can cause uterine
rupture. With human fetuses who have the condition some develop a
combination of hydroencephaly and frozen limbs with those two things
simultaneously resulting in the inability to deliver normally but the
uteruses also tend to become overly full with fluid and to rupture when
a caesarian cut is made, usually rending the uterus useless for the
future. (This is the rare condition for which the so-called "partial
birth" approach was used in order the save the uterus, but with a
ferret I suspect the uterus would instead just be sacrificed if they
can have that complication. Does this pregnancy complication happen in
ferrets?)

In that section some conditions I know nothing about so I pulled out my
trusty veterinary and medical dictionaries to begin learning though I
can't find all terms in then so will have to look more widely for my
own edification. Here are are some of the other deformations more often
seen with color dilute fetuses: spinal dysraphism ( incomplete spinal
fusion), too much fusion, incomplete cerebrum, fissure of the cranium
and cerebrum, and more.

Neural tube defect (another birth deformity is also shown.

Astrocytoma brain tumors are discussed.

<http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Diseases/Endocrine_And_Hematopoietic.pdf>

Anyone who has had ferrets any length of time will advise people who
haven't learn the endocrinological section here next.

It opens with those pancreatic symptoms many people know so well. The
more rare pancreatic things like lymphoma there or carcinoma there are
not covered.

The following section is right up Karen's interest alley since it is
on types of adrenal diseases. They even show an adrenal teratoma, a
"monster tumor" which grows tissue types such as skin, follicles
complete with fur, bone or more in the wrong locations. This section
illustrates why sterilized ferrets are more likely to get adrenal
disease and why that can be at a younger age than in whole ferrets.

That is followed by another common ferret health problem: enlarged
spleen, including at what size increase there is an increase in the
threat of rupture (10 cm).

Next come types of lymphoma/lymphosarcoma, the most common malignancy
of ferrets. Now, that might surprise some people who do not realize
that most cases of adrenal disease and of pancreatic disease are not
malignant (in other words, they are not "cancer") Most cases of
pancreatic disease are insulinoma rather than lymphoma or carcinoma in
the pancreas though both of the latter two can occur on a rare basis.
Most cases of adrenal disease are hyperplasia.

I don't know what type of lymphoma the ferret with with bloody face
and eyes has in that photograph so will try to remember to ask. Does
cutaneous lymphoma ever look like that? As I recall, Pam's vet has used
something for Cutaneous Lymphoma which has had good results. That will
be in the archives.

Actinomycosis is the next topic. It looks like traumatic injury may be
at the route of those cases.

Then comes a subject that Danee has often taught to benefit us all:
Aleutian Disease. Besides mustelid hosts it has been found in raccoons
so it might be useful to find out if it occurs normally in other
procyonids, and perhaps also look in bears -- just thinking
taxonomically there...

Notice that ADV has had a resurgence in ferrets, that there might be
new strain. New outbreaks are having almost 100% morbidity ( rate of
disease in a population) and mortality (deaths) with the disease being
long lasting so that death is usually in a matter of 2 or 3 years.

Besides being a health topic ADV is a genetic topic. Some types of
animals are more vulnerable to catching it. Among minks those with
dilute colors certainly are. The symptoms are given. Notice that is
makes some problems like gastric ulcers and interstitial pneumonia
more likely, so in some cases finding those still has to taken one
step further to get to the root of the problem.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
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

[Posted in FML 6369]