Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe anemia from immune red cell loss in a young ferret
By Malka, Shachar et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2010·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Immune-mediated pure red cell aplasia in a domestic ferret
- Species:
- rodent
Plain-English summary
An 8-month-old spayed female ferret was brought to the vet because she was very tired and had severe anemia, which means her blood had a low number of red blood cells. The vet found that her mucous membranes and skin were very pale, and tests showed her red blood cell count was critically low. After diagnosing her with pure red cell aplasia (a condition where the body doesn't produce enough red blood cells), the vet treated her with blood transfusions, iron supplements, and medications to help her immune system. After nine months of treatment, her condition improved significantly, and she was healthy three years later.
People also search for: ferret lethargy and anemia · pure red cell aplasia treatment in ferrets · ferret blood transfusion recovery
Abstract
Abstract Case Description—An 8-month-old spayed female domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was referred for examination to determine the cause of lethargy and severe anemia. Clinical Findings—Initial examination revealed that the ferret was lethargic but with appropriate mentation. The only other abnormal findings were severe pallor of the mucous membranes, nasal planum, and skin and a PCV of 8%. Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) was diagnosed on the basis of cytologic evaluation of a bone marrow biopsy specimen. Treatment and Outcome—Medical treatment included blood transfusions, IM administration of iron dextran, oral administration of antimicrobials and gastrointestinal tract protectants, and SC administration of erythropoietin. Once PRCA was diagnosed, the ferret was orally administered prednisone, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. Nine months after onset of treatment, the PRCA was in remission and the ferret was doing well. Immunosuppressive treatment was discontinued at 14 months after onset of treatment, and 36 months after initial examination, the ferret appeared to be healthy. Clinical Relevance—It is important that PRCA be considered as a differential diagnosis for a ferret with severe anemia. Prolonged immunosuppressive treatment was successful in the ferret described here. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010;237:695-700)
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.237.6.695