In Digest 40 see the problems encountered when looking at abdominal
lymph nodes:
 
While there is always the possibility of a lymphoma in this region,
based on the location (a great way to get burned, making a diagnosis
from the location), the top of my list is a hyperplastic lymph nodes.
 
Which brings up a very important point about abdominal lymph nodes - they
are commonly enlarged and hyperplastic in ferrets.  Why?  Because of the
ubiquity of chronic inflammation in the GI tract of ferrets - Helicobacter
infections in the stomach or previous infection with coronavirus (ECE), or
both, most older ferrets have reactive, enlarged nodes in the abdomen.
 
If you want to diagnose lymphoma in a ferret, the absolute worst tissue to
send is a mesenteric lymph node - the reactive changes can be extremely
severe and often confused with lymphoma.  In some cases, the lymphoma is
readily diagnosed, but in many others, it can be a confusing, confusing,
thing.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
 
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[Posted in FML issue 3350]