Hematology of the Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

The first part of this chapter describes the normal and abnormal hematology findings of small mammals including rats and mice, hamsters and gerbils, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, and hedgehogs, along with images of peripheral blood of these species. It also reviews the expected hematologic changes in a variety of species-specific disease processes as well as the correlation with other clinicopathologic parameters. The second part of this chapter pertains to the interpretation of serum biochemical data with respect to reference intervals and preanalytical, analytical, and biologic variables. Similarities and differences between species are elucidated. Brief discussions regarding methods of analysis for some analytes are included where methodology may impact test interpretation.

To evaluate the prevalence of poikilocytes on peripheral blood smears of sick domestic ferrets and to determine if any erythrocyte morphologic anomalies are associated with a specific diagnosis. Peripheral blood smears from ferrets that presented to the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vétérinaire between August 2010 and January 2015. Red blood cell morphologic changes were scored by each reviewer and the presence of keratocytes, acanthocytes, schizocytes, and codocytes was compared to the final diagnosis assigned to each patient, as determined by evaluation of their medical records. A total of 83 ferrets met the inclusion criteria. Clinical diagnoses included adrenal disease (n = 27), lymphoma (n = 14), insulinoma (n = 5), gastrointestinal disease (n = 25), liver disease (n = 9), and other (n = 22). No ferrets had eccentrocytes or basophilic stippling and the most frequently observed red blood cells morphologies were echinocytes (86.7%), polychromatophils (66.2%), and Howell-Jolly bodies (14.4%). The presence of poikilocytes that are often considered to be of pathologic significance was noted 12 times in 9 ferrets: schizocytes (n = 7), codocytes (n = 3), acanthocytes (n = 1), and keratocytes (n = 1). Significantly higher numbers of acanthocytes and schizocytes were observed in ferrets with lymphoma. However, schizocytes were also observed with gastrointestinal disease. The results suggest that ferrets with lymphoma may be more likely to have schizocytes and acanthocytes in their peripheral blood. However, the sensitivity and specificity of these changes need to be more comprehensively evaluated. Studies using larger numbers of ferrets with lymphoma and gastrointestinal diseases and studies evaluating blood smear abnormalities in healthy ferrets are warranted.