Tigger’s Case, ‘the Only One’

The zoo, exotic and wildlife department at OSU’s Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital treated a 6-monthold female ferret with a rare condition.

Referred by their veterinarian, Dr. Maria Di Gregorio, class of 1992, of Baker Animal Clinic in Stillwater, ferret owners Donna and Jay Becker brought their young ferret, Tigger, to the center’s veterinary hospital. Tigger was showing signs of urinary incontinence and urine scalding around its genitalia and tail area.

“You could tell the ferret was in pain when we palpated it,” says Dr. Cornelia Ketz-Riley, head of the hospital’s zoo, exotic and wildlife service.

An abdominal sonogram revealed several enlarged lymph nodes and an apparent intravesicular blood clot in the urinary bladder. Excretory urography revealed a left ureter that extended well beyond the normal entrance into the urinary bladder.

It progressed to enter either the distal urethra or vagina consistent with the diagnosis of a left extramural ectopic ureter. A complete blood count and a serum biochemistry panel were normal.

“We initially treated the ferret with oral amoxicillinclavulanic acid and topical silver sulfadiazine ointment for the dermatitis,” Ketz-Riley says.

“Surgery to correct the ectopic ureter was postponed for two weeks to allow the abdominal skin to heal.”

When it came time for the surgery, the owners elected for a nephroureterectomy, which is the removal of the left kidney and ureter.

“The reimplantation of the out-of-place ureter into the bladder was very challenging due to its size,” says Ketz-Riley. “This could have caused impaired function of the ureter and later damage to the kidney, which would have then required removal of the kidney in a second surgery. The owners didn’t want to take that chance, so we did it all in one operation.”

The surgery was successful, but Tigger was still showing incontinence.

“After surgery, incontinence due to reduced bladder sphincter function is fairly common in dogs. We prescribed medication for the ferret to increase bladder function that should alleviate this problem altogether.

“Urinary incontinence is a rare anomaly in domestic ferrets,” she says.

“Ectopic ureters are the most common cause of congenital urinary incontinence in dogs and cats, not ferrets. Usually, urinary tract disorders seen in ferrets include urolithiasis, cystitis and renal cysts.

“To my knowledge, this is the first report of a defective ureter in a domestic ferret.”

DERINDA BLAKENEY

“I WAS ABLE TO PLAY A FEW CHUKKERS (TIME PERIODS OF PLAY) OF POLO AND RIDE THE HORSES THROUGH THE ROBINSONS’ GAME FARM. THEY HAVE HERD ANIMALS SUCH AS DIKER (DOE LIKE), BUSHBUCKS, SABLE, AND ELAND (ALL VARIOUS TYPES OF ANTELOPE). THE COUNTRYSIDE IS BEAUTIFUL AND BEING ABLE TO SEE THESE ANIMALS IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT WAS A DEFINITE PERK OF MY TRIP.”