Disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis in ferrets.

First described in 2003, disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis (DIM) has emerged as a new disease in young, domestic ferrets. DIM is a severe inflammatory condition that affects primarily muscles and surrounding connective tissues. The disease is characterized by rapid onset of clinical signs, high fever, neutrophilic leukocytosis, and general lack of response to therapeutic intervention.

Clinicopathologic features of a systemic coronavirus-associated disease resembling feline infectious peritonitis in the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius).

From 2002 to 2007, 23 ferrets from Europe and the United States were diagnosed with systemic pyogranulomatous inflammation resembling feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The average age at the time of diagnosis was 11 months. The disease was progressive in all cases, and average duration of clinical illness was 67 days.

Myofasciitis in the domestic ferret.

Since late 2003, an inflammatory disease of muscle and fascia has been diagnosed in several ferrets at Northwest ZooPath, and this report describes the condition in 17 ferrets. It is a disease of young ferrets, characterized by rapid onset of clinical signs, high fever, neutrophilic leukocytosis, treatment failure, and death (or euthanasia). Gross lesions include atrophy of skeletal muscle; red and white mottling and dilatation of the esophagus; and splenomegaly.

Calcium-independent, tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent effects of serum on the morphology of cultured neurohypophysial astrocytes.

Activation of adenylate cyclase induces cultured neurohypophysial astrocytes (pituicytes) to change from a protoplasmic, nonstellate form to a stellate form. Stellation is inhibited and reversed (destellation) by serum. The objective of the present studies was to examine the roles of Ca2+ and tyrosine phosphorylation in mediating these morphological changes.

Serum uncouples elevation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentration from cyclic adenosine monophosphate dependent morphological changes exhibited by cultured pituicytes.

Cultured pituicytes (neurohypophysial astrocytes) are normally flat amorphous cells when incubated (90 min) in a HEPES balanced salt solution (HBSS) but become stellate when incubated in HBSS supplemented with forskolin. This stellation process is attenuated by serum (0.5% vol/vol).