[The first report of a disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo) from Germany]. / Erstbeschreibung einer disseminierten idiopathischen Myofasciitis bei einem Frettchen (Mustela putorius furo) aus Deutschland.

A 1.5 year old neutered male pet ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented with a sudden onset of severe weakness. The ferret was kept with three healthy mates, was vaccinated against distemper regularly and was never ill before presentation. Clinically, the ferret was depressed, had a hyperthermia of 40.3 degrees C, tachypnea and ocular as well as nasal discharge. Blood work revealed a mild neutropenia, blood chemistry a hyperglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypocalcemia and hyponatremia. Despite intensive therapy including fluid replacement, antibiosis, analgesia and antipyretics, the overall condition of the ferret deteriorated and the animal was euthanized two days later. Necropsy revealed a pyogranulomatous myositis, fasciitis and steatitis of the long hyoid muscles, the esophagus and intestine. Lesions were consistent with the disseminated idiopathic myositis of ferrets. This is the first reported case of this disease in a ferret originated in Germany.

Disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis in ferrets.

First described in 2003, disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis (DIM) has emerged as a new disease in young, domestic ferrets. DIM is a severe inflammatory condition that affects primarily muscles and surrounding connective tissues. The disease is characterized by rapid onset of clinical signs, high fever, neutrophilic leukocytosis, and general lack of response to therapeutic intervention. Until recently DIM was considered fatal, but a few surviving ferrets indicate there may be an effective treatment protocol. DIM is suspected to be an immune-mediated disease, but the etiopathogenesis is not known. This article reviews clinical and pathologic findings in DIM patients, covers recommended diagnostic procedures and clinical management of ferrets with DIM, and discusses potential etiologies for this newly recognized disease in ferrets.

Myofasciitis in the domestic ferret.

Since late 2003, an inflammatory disease of muscle and fascia has been diagnosed in several ferrets at Northwest ZooPath, and this report describes the condition in 17 ferrets. It is a disease of young ferrets, characterized by rapid onset of clinical signs, high fever, neutrophilic leukocytosis, treatment failure, and death (or euthanasia). Gross lesions include atrophy of skeletal muscle; red and white mottling and dilatation of the esophagus; and splenomegaly. Histologically, moderate to severe suppurative to pyogranulomatous inflammation is in the skeletal muscle and the fascia at multiple sites, including esophagus, heart, limbs, body wall, head, and lumbar regions. Myeloid hyperplasia of spleen and/or bone marrow also is a prominent feature. Ultrastructural lesions include mitochondrial swelling, intracellular edema, disruption of myofibrils and Z bands. Bacterial and viral cultures, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction were negative for a variety of infectious agents. The clinical presentation and distribution of lesions suggests that polymyositis in domestic ferrets is likely a distinct entity. The etiopathogenesis if this condition is not known.

Eosinophilic fasciitis in a rhesus macaque.

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is an inflammatory disorder in the category of scleroderma-like connective tissue diseases. There are no animal models for spontaneously occurring EF. We present the case of a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) with clinical, laboratory, and histologic features of EF.

Lameness associated with coxofemoral soft tissue masses in six dogs.

Six cases of mechanical lameness involving the coxofemoral joint are presented. All dogs had a history of chronic rear leg pain and lameness, and decreased range of motion of the hip. On physical examination, ventral subluxation of the coxofemoral joint during extension was present in three dogs. A radiographic diagnosis of subluxation was made in five dogs. In each dog, surgical exploration of the area caudal to the coxofemoral joint revealed a fibrous mass between the lesser or third trochanters and the ischium, diagnosed as a nonneoplastic fibrous reaction by microscopic examination. The clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic signs were similar to previously described cases of myositis ossificans. Five dogs returned to normal function after excision of the soft tissue mass, and one dog was normal when lost to follow-up 4 weeks postoperatively.