Dana's autopsy pictures

Enlarged gastric lymph node.

Enlarged mediastinal lymph node.

I think I was trying to photograph a strange blood supply that wasn't normal.

Small round scarred left kidney.

Chest cavity, lungs with emphysema.

Solidified lung tissue, left cranial lung lobe.

Heart.

Heart.

Left and right scarred kidneys.

Blood test values from 11.03.05:

BIOCHEMISTRY

Total Protein 72.1 g/l (51 - 74)
Albumin 32.2 g/l (26 - 41)
Globulin 39.9 g/l
Creatinine 52 umol/l (< 75.0)
ALP 103 iu/l (34 - 66)
ALT 71 iu/l
Urea 37.9 mmol/l (1.9 - 7.49)

HAEMATOLOGY

Haemoglobin 13.6 g/l (12.0 - 18.0)
Red Blood Cells 9.89 x10^12/l (6.7 - 12.1)
PCV 0.445 % (0.43 - 0.55)
MCHC 30.6 g/dl
MCH 13.8 pg
MCV 45.0 fl
Platelets 654 x10^9l (297-910)
White Blood Cells 8.7 x10^9l (3.5 - 7.0)
Neutrophils 66% 5.74 x10^9l (1.5 - 2.9)
Neutrophils (Band) 0% 0.00 x10^9l
Lymphocytes 17% 1.48 x10^9l (1.7 - 2.9)
Monocytes 7% 0.61 x10^9l
Eosinophils 10% 0.87 x10^9l ( < 0.35)
Haematologists Comment Unremarkable cellular morphology seen throughout film.

CLINICAL COMMENTS

This profile appears to be consistent with your diagnosis of cardiac disease (presumed congestive cardiomyopathy) with elevated urea.  Otherwise the changes seen do not appear too significant although the eosinophil count is 10% of the total white cells the normal range in ferrets is reported up to 8% in some texts. It might be useful to attempt to improve cardiac function using ACE inhibitors such as enalapril (0.5mg/kg sid).

Dana's histopathlogy report:

HISTORY

Died under GA for dental extractions and scale & polish of teeth. GA not prolonged, kept warm. Housed with recently confirmed death due to Aleutian disease. History of enlarged heart and treated for cardiomyopathy.

Diagnosis

Cardiomyopathy and Pulmonary Oedema

Prognosis

Prognosis Not Applicable

SPLEEN, LIVER, THYMUS, ADRENAL GLAND. No significant lesions.

LYMPH NODES. Reactive hyperplasia.

KIDNEY. Small focus of cortical scarring, probably an infarct.

LUNGS. There is slight diffuse flooding of alveoli and there is an increase in alveolar marrophages.

HEART. Grossly the chambers are dilated and the walls are thin. Histologically there is moderate multifocal, myocardial degeneration, fibrosis and mononuclear cell infiltration.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is increasingly recognised as a cause of heart failure in the ferret. The cause is unknown but may be associated with taurine deficiency.