title: A case of advanced second-degree atrioventricular block in a ferret secondary to lymphoma.
abstract: A female ferret was referred as an emergency for severe respiratory distress symptoms. At presentation, the patient was listlessness, dyspnoeic, and hyper-responsive. The clinical examination evidenced dyspnea with cyanosis, altered cardiac rhythm, and hepatomegaly. Electrocardiography showed an advanced second-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. The liver aspirate was diagnostic for lymphoma. The patient did not respond to supportive therapy and rapidly died. Post-mortem exams confirmed the presence of lymphoma with hepatic involvement. Moreover, a pericardial lymphocytic infiltration and a widespread myocardial nodular localization of lymphoma were evidenced as well. This condition was probably the cause of the cardiac arrhythmia. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first report of cardiac lymphoma causing heart block in ferrets.
authors.affiliation: Gianicolense Veterinary Centre, Via Lorenzo Valla 25/b, 00152 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menicagli
authors.affiliation: Gianicolense Veterinary Centre, Via Lorenzo Valla 25/b, 00152 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.affiliation: Gianicolense Veterinary Centre, Via Lorenzo Valla 25/b, 00152 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sbrocca
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.affiliation: SAFU, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Via delle Messi d' Oro 156, 00158 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Spugnini
keywords: Arrhythmia; Ferret; Isoproterenol; Lymphoma