>The results came back at over 40% ratio of gamma globulins to total
>protein.  Brenna's other globulins were not elevated.  I have been told,
>and have been telling people, that the electrophoresis is a definitive
>test for Aleutian disease.  I did the home saliva test on Brenna today
>and it was also negative.  Has anyone heard of IBD causing
>hypergammaglobulinemia?
 
 
The chronic inflammation in the gut of ferrets with IBD can indeed cause
hypergammaglobulinemia - IBD is an unrelenting inflammatory disease with
excessive antibody production, among other things.  However, that does
seem a little high.
 
Would that every case was a textbook one, but you are encountering a
case here that is neither black nor white.  There are exceptions to every
rule, and probably no test is definitive for ADV - that's why we generally
do a range.
 
This may be a good case for Dr. Stevenson to look at with her PCR.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
 
[Sukie note: Anyone who needs more IBD info will find an article by Dr.
Bruce Williams in the current "Ferrets" magazine (and it will appear on
his AFIP website in about 60 days), and one by Dr. Mark Burgess in the
FHL archives.]
[Posted in FML issue 3753]