title: Histopathologic features and post-surgical sequelae of 57 cutaneous neoplasms in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo L.).
abstract: The study of the signalment, histomorphologic features, and post-surgical clinical progress of 57 cutaneous neoplasms in 55 domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo L.) was based on diagnostic pathologic accessions (1987-1992) from 142 ferrets. Mean age of the group was 4.3 years; 31/54 (57%) were female and 23/54 (43%) were male. Thirty-three (58%) of the cutaneous neoplasms were basal cell tumors. The mean age of ferrets with basal cell tumor was 5.2 years, and 23/33 (70%) were female. Histologically, the basal cell tumors were composed of well-differentiated basaloid epithelial cells with various degrees of squamous and sebaceous differentiation, similar to those seen in basal cell neoplasms of dogs. Nine of the 57 (16%) cutaneous neoplasms were mastocytomas. The mean age of ferrets with mastocytoma was 4.1 years; four were male, four were female, and the sex of one was unrecorded. Histologically, the mastocytomas were composed of well-differentiated mast cells with few eosinophils, similar to cutaneous mastocytomas of domestic cats. The mast cells had a small number of metachromatic cytoplasmic granules, and in six of eight neoplasms the granules had an affinity for conjugated avidin-peroxidase. Six of the cutaneous neoplasms (11%) were fibromas. The mean age of ferrets with fibroma was 2.7 years; 5 (83%) were male. Two cutaneous hemangiomas (4%) were in females, which were 4 and 5 years of age. There was one each hemangiosarcoma, cutaneous polyp, anal gland adenocarcinoma, lymphosarcoma of the prepuce and inguinal lymph node, and adenocarcinoma of the prepuce.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnics, Sterling, VA.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Picut
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D005350:Fibroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012515:Mast-Cell Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome