MULTIFOCAL EMBRYONAL TUMOR IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF A FERRET (MUSTELA PUTORIUS FURO)

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. A 3-year-old, intact female ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented with right head tilt and circling. The animal was diagnosed with a chronic otitis media-interna by computed tomography (CT) and a myringotomy was performed. One week later the animal was clinically recovered. Thirteen days after the otitis diagnosis, the ferret was presented with hemiparesis of the hind limbs. Thoracic and lumbar radiographs showed mild congenital alterations in the vertebras and the myelography test revealed spinal cord dilation at the level of L3-L4. The CT and the MRI revealed an intraspinal lesion at the level of L2-L4. The animal was diagnosed with an intramedullary vascular lesion, and was treated with intravenous fluid therapy, meloxicam, marbofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and gabapentin. Nest rest was recommended. The coagulation tests were within normal limits. Four months after de intramedullary lesion diagnosis, the animal was presented with apathy, depression and anorexia. Unfortunately, the ferret died at the same day. Post-mortem evaluation of morphology and immunophenotype of lesions resulted in the diagnosis of a multifocal embryonal tumor (ET) in the brain and spinal cord of a ferret.