Successful Transvenous Extraction of Adult Dirofilaria immitis Parasites from a Naturally Infected Domestic Ferret ( Mustela putorius furo )

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 17; p. 2474
• Main Authors: Mohr-Peraza, Eva, Matos, Jorge Isidoro, García-Rodríguez, Sara Nieves, Santana-González, Alexis José, Carretón, Elena, Montoya-Alonso, José Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 25.08.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens; Cardiovascular disease; Creatinine; Heart failure; heartworm; Infections; Medical prognosis; new companion animals; Parasites; parasitology; pathology; Pleural effusion; Pulmonary arteries; Thromboembolism; Ultrasonic imaging; Urinalysis; Urine; Veins & arteries; veterinary; veterinary surgery; United States > US; Spain; veterinary surgery; new companion animals; pathology; Mustela putorius furo; heartworm; veterinary; parasitology
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani14172474

Heartworm disease caused by is a serious and underdiagnosed cardiovascular condition in domestic ferrets. Hemodynamic changes caused by parasitization in ferrets cause a potentially fatal syndrome, but its clinical findings and treatment have not yet been standardized. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical case of a successful surgical extraction in a ferret infected by . The patient was a 2-year-old, 1.5 kg asymptomatic male domestic ferret. The infection was diagnosed using a commercial test for the detection of antigens. Subsequently, their clinical status was evaluated using serological and imaging diagnostic tests, and it was finally decided to perform surgical extraction of the adult worms. The ferret was anesthetized and placed in the left lateral decubitus position to perform a venotomy in the right jugular vein. Endoscopic extraction basket-shaped devices were used in the right atrial cavity under fluoroscopic guidance following the Seldinger endovascular surgery technique. With careful handling, two adult parasites were manually removed. A transthoracic echocardiogram performed after the procedure confirmed the absence of heartworms. The ferret recovered without complications and was discharged within 24 h. In the clinical review, 30 days after surgery, no notable alterations or symptoms were observed. This case report describes the first complete surgical removal of adult parasites in a naturally infected ferret.