ferret - Articles
Vomiting
Introduction
- Cause: gastritis, gastric ulcers, GI foreign bodies, trichobezoars.
- Signs: nausea, vomiting, lethargy.
- Diagnosis: clinical history, physical exam (particularly palpation), radiography, ultrasound, bloodwork, biopsy.
- Treatment: surgery for GI foreign bodies and trichobezoars. Medical treatment for gastritis and gastric ulcers.
- Prognosis: good with appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Presenting signs
- Common presentation in ferrets.
- Vomiting may be associated with diarrhea in a number of conditions.
- Nausea is associated with vomiting, but not with regurgitation.
- Nausea may include salivation, sticking the tongue out, teeth grinding, scratching or touching the chin and mouth with the forelimbs, walking backwards and closing the eyes.
Acute presentation
- Vomiting can appear as a consequence of acute and chronic conditions.
- Acute conditions include GI foreign body, bacterial gastritis, gastric torsion, pancreatitis, use of emetics, drug overdose, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
- Gastritis, gastric tumors and trichobezoars may develop over time and show vomiting even for years. Chronic gastritis is commonly associated with vomiting.
Geographic incidence
- Not described.
- Infectious agents, particularly viruses, can have on their appearance a restricted geographic range, but then spread to other areas of the World occurs.
Age predisposition
- There is an age predisposition for some etiologies that can cause vomiting. Trichobezoars and gastric neoplasia are more common in older ferrets. However, foreign bodies may be more common in young animals.
Public health considerations
- Not commonly reported.
Cost considerations
- Some conditions may need advanced diagnostics (endoscopy and biopsy for some gastritis).
- Some conditions may need surgery (GI foreign bodies and trichobezoars).
- Some conditions may need treatment for life (eosinophilic gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease), although these conditions are typically treated with steroids (which are relatively cheap).
- Gastric neoplasia has more complicated treatment that may involve surgery and/or chemotherapy.
Special risks
- Cases of gastric ulcers may develop anemia Anemia overview, which complicates oxygenation during anesthesia.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Gastritis: vomiting is not particularly common in ferrets with gastritis, although it is more common when the condition is chronic:
- Gastritis caused by the infection with Helicobacter mustelae Helicobacter mustelae gastritis.
- Bacterial enteritis/gastroenteritis Bacterial gastroenteritis: vomiting does not occur frequently.
- Eosinophilic gastroenteritis Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: vomiting can be seen when the stomach is involved.
- Epizootic catarrhal enteritis Epizootic cattarhal enteritis: the severity of this disease has decreased over the last years.
- Inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Gastric hairballs Hairballs.
- Gastrointestinal foreign bodies Gastrointestinal foreign bodies: vomiting is uncommon, nausea is more common.
- Ibuprofen Ibuprofen toxicity and paracetamol (acetaminophen) Acetaminophen toxicity toxicoses.
- Gastrointestinal lymphoma Gastrointestinal neoplasia
. - Chemotherapy.
- Radiotherapy.
- Use of emetics: ferrets are relatively resistant to the emetic effects of different drugs, but vomiting can be induced consistently with the use of high doses of apomorphine at 0.1 mg/kg SC.
- Pancreatitis: uncommon in ferrets, but it can develop after surgery for insulinoma Insulinoma.
- Aleutian disease Aleutian disease: the influence of this virus in the development of clinical signs is not completely understood, but it could contribute to the syndrome of the inflammatory bowel disease.
- Gastric torsion: this condition is rare in ferrets, but it is always associated with vomiting.
Predisposing factors
General
- The gastrointestinal system of ferrets, particularly the intestine, is a very reactive organ and tends to develop a significant inflammatory response in front of a variety of causes.
- Lack of hygiene and overcrowding can predispose to infectious gastritis.
Specific
- Ectoparasite infection and excessive molting can facilitate the formation of trichobezoars.
- Ferrets that roam free and unsupervised in the house are more predisposed to gastrointestinal foreign bodies.
Pathophysiology
- The mechanism of vomiting is similar to that found in dogs and cats.
- Before vomiting, ferrets can show a behavior characteristic of nausea, which includes salivation, sticking the tongue out, teeth grinding, scratching or touching the chin and mouth with the forelimbs, walking backwards and closing the eyes.
Timecourse
- Depending on the etiology.
Epidemiology
- Some conditions producing vomiting, such as epizootic catarrhal enteritis Epizootic cattarhal enteritis, have become less virulent over the last years.
Diagnosis
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Treatment
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Prevention
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Outcomes
Subscribe To View
This article is available to subscribers.
Try a free trial today or contact us for more information.
Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Whary M T & Fox J G (2004) Natural and experimental Helicobacter infections. Comparative Medicine 54 (2), 128-158 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Hoefer H L (2021) Gastrointestinal Diseases of Ferrets. In: Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery. 4th edn. Eds: Quesenberry K E et al. Elsevier, USA. pp 27-37.
- Perpiñán D & Johnson-Delaney C A (2017) Disorders of the Digestive System and Liver. In: Ferret Medicine and Surgery. Ed: Johnson-Delaney C A. CRC Press, USA. pp 159-190.
- Mayer J & Donnelly T M (2013) Clinical Veterinary Advisor: Birds and Exotic Pets. Elsevier Saunders, USA. pp 752.