Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ferret with vomiting and diarrhea from Mycobacterium avium infection
By Schultheiss, P C & Dolginow, S Z·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1994·Department of Pathology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium in a ferret.
- Species:
- rodent
Plain-English summary
A pet ferret was brought to the vet because it was not eating, vomiting, and having diarrhea. The vet found that the ferret had a blockage in its intestines due to inflammation caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium avium. The blockage was surgically removed, and the ferret initially improved for about eight months. Unfortunately, the symptoms returned, and after a second surgery, the ferret passed away two weeks later. The vet found more signs of the infection during the necropsy, indicating that this type of bacteria can cause serious health issues in ferrets.
People also search for: ferret vomiting and diarrhea · Mycobacterium avium in ferrets · ferret surgery recovery · ferret anorexia treatment
Abstract
Granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium was diagnosed in a pet ferret evaluated for anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Delayed gastric emptying was identified during barium sulfate contrast radiography. A constriction in the duodenum, which was an area of granulomatous inflammation on histologic examination, was surgically removed. After removal of this lesion, the ferret did well for 8 months, but clinical signs returned. At a second surgery, a nodule was removed from the pylorus. The ferret died 2 weeks later. At necropsy, granulomatous inflammation, with acid-fast organisms, was found in the pylorus, small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Mycobacterium avium was isolated from specimens of liver and spleen. Ferrets can develop clinical disease caused by M avium, and infected ferrets may pose public health threats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8014091/