ferret - Articles
Prostatic disease
Introduction
- Cause: prostate enlargement is part of the adrenal disease complex.
- Signs: stranguria, dysuria, distended bladder, inability to urinate, pain on palpation.
- Diagnosis: ultrasonography, radiography.
- Treatment: drainage of large cysts, restore urine flow with relaxant, urethral catheterization.
- Prognosis: guarded.
Presenting signs
- Stranguria.
- Dysuria.
- Distended bladder.
- Inability to urinate.
- Pain on palpation of pelvic area.
- Other clinical signs associated with adrenal disease, eg symmetrical alopecia Alopecia.
Age predisposition
- As adrenal disease occurs generally in ferrets over 3 years old, prostatic disease also occurs in ferrets older than 3 years old.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Adrenal disease is associated with elevated circulating sexual hormones, which stimulate squamous metaplasia of prostatic tissue.
- Prostate may be cystic or hypertrophic or a combination of both.
- Cysts are usually sterile, but they can develop into bacterial abscesses.
- Urethra may be compressed making it difficult to void:
- In severe cases the urethra is blocked completely.
- The urethra may be blocked internally with prostate cells and secretions, or it may be compressed by the prostate tissue.
- Secondary cystitis Cystitis and urolithiasis and atonic bladder may be present.
- This condition can be life-threatening if urine flow is not restored.
- Prostatic disease unrelated to adrenal disease is rare in ferrets.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Powers L V, Winkler K, Garner M et al (2007) Omentalization of prostatic abscesses and large cysts in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). J Exotic Pet Med 16 (3), 186-194 VetMedResource.
Other sources of information
- Mayer J & Donnelly T M (2013) Clinical Veterinary Advisor: Birds and Exotic Pets. Elsevier, USA. pp 752.