Successful medical management of lumbar intervertebral disc prolapse in a ferret

• Published in: Journal of small animal practice Vol. 51; no. 8; pp. 447 - 450
• Main Authors: Srugo, I, Chai, O, Yaakov, D, Sharon, L, Shamir, M.H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; computed tomography; diagnostic techniques; disease diagnosis; Ferrets; hernia; Intervertebral Disc; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - diagnosis; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - therapy; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - veterinary; intervertebral disks; Lumbar Vertebrae; Male; myelogram; physical activity; physical therapy; Physical Therapy Modalities - veterinary; spinal diseases; therapeutics; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - veterinary; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0022-4510; 1748-5827
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2010.00964.x

Thoracolumbar disc herniation was diagnosed in a two-year-old ferret using a myelogram followed by a computed tomography scan. The ferret was paraplegic with no control over urination and defecation. Conservative treatment that included cage rest and passive range of motion exercises for three weeks followed by extensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy resulted in full recovery two months after the onset of treatment. Although intervertebral disc disease has been reported previously in four ferrets, this is the first report in which a postmyelogram computed tomography was used to demonstrate the herniated disc, and physiotherapy was used as principal treatment modality.