Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ferret with heart mass and broken leg caused by cancer
By Michael Weber et al.·Published in Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe K: Kleintiere / Heimtiere·2025·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Precardiac mass and femur fracture caused by multiple myeloma in a ferret ( Mustela putorius furo )
- Species:
- rodent
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old female ferret was brought in for limping on her left hind leg and trouble breathing. She had previously been diagnosed with a heart condition and a precardiac mass. Tests showed she had a fracture in her left femur, along with signs of anemia and other issues. Unfortunately, due to her poor health and the discovery of multiple myeloma (a type of cancer) affecting various organs, she was euthanized. This case highlights that ferrets can develop serious health problems that may present as both heart issues and bone fractures.
People also search for: ferret limping treatment · ferret heart problems · multiple myeloma in ferrets · ferret cancer symptoms
Abstract
Abstract A 5-year-old female spayed ferret was presented with lameness of the left hind limb and dyspnea. Five months earlier, the animal had been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and an undifferentiated precardiac mass. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory examinations revealed a left femoral neck fracture, mild anemia, and hyperglobulinemia. Due to the poor general condition and unfavorable prognosis, the animal was euthanized. Pathological examination identified the precardiac mass as multiple myeloma with dissemination to the mediastinum, spleen, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. The neoplastic plasma cells were immunohistochemically CD138-positive and CD3-/CD79a-negative. This case demonstrates that plasma cell neoplasms in ferrets can also present as precardiac masses and should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/a821f828215fccbd39ae6ee73fa2c072028fd2fb