Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ferret with heartworms and green urine treated by extraction
By Bradbury, Christina et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2010·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Transvenous heartworm extraction in a ferret with caval syndrome.
- Species:
- rodent
Plain-English summary
A 10-month-old ferret was brought in for weakness and green-colored urine, which indicated a serious heartworm infection and caval syndrome (a condition where heartworms block blood flow). The veterinarian successfully removed three heartworms using a special procedure, although one female heartworm remained. After the procedure, the ferret's symptoms improved significantly. The ferret was then treated with corticosteroids and started on monthly heartworm prevention to help manage its condition.
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Abstract
A 10-month-old ferret was diagnosed with heartworm disease and caval syndrome. Associated clinical signs included weakness and a green-colored urine, identified as biliverdinuria. Despite the animal's small size, removal of three heartworms via transvenous heartworm extraction was successfully performed. Although at least one female worm remained in the right ventricle, the majority of clinical signs related to the presence of the heartworms resolved. The ferret was subsequently managed medically with corticosteroids and monthly heartworm prevention. This case documents the presence of biliverdinuria associated with caval syndrome and successful transvenous heartworm extraction in a ferret.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20045834/