CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN FERRETS WITH LYMPHOMA - 60 CASES (1982-1994)

Objective-To examine clinical and pathologic findings in 60 ferrets wi th lymphoma. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-60 ferrets in w hich the diagnosis of lymphoma had been confirmed by means of histolog ic examination of biopsy or necropsy specimens. Procedure-Information including age, sex, coat color, history, clinical signs, clinicopathol ogic abnormalities, treatment, outcome, and results of histologic exam ination of biopsy and necropsy specimens were retrieved from medical r ecords of ferrets with spontaneous lymphoma examined between 1982 and 1994 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or private veterinar y practices in 10 states. Classification of lymphoma was assigned acco rding to the National Cancer institute's working formulation for non-H odgkin's lymphomas. chi(2) Trend analysis was used to determine whethe r age was associated with history, clinical signs, hematologic abnorma lities, stage, histologic grade, or outcome. Results-Acute onset, medi astinal mass, lymphocytosis, and multicentric distribution were linked with younger ferrets, and lymphopenia and survival longer than 2 mont hs after diagnosis was associated with older ferrets. Twenty percent o f ferrets in this study had cohabitated with another ferret with lymph oma. Chemotherapeutic efficacy was not evaluated. Clinical Implication s-Clinical and pathologic features linked with age should be considere d when evaluating diagnostic and therapeutic options for ferrets with lymphoma.