Table 3.

Ferret gastrointestinal diseases and common clinical pathologic changes

Disease	Clinical pathology change
Bacterial or viral enteritis	Changes depend on chronicity of disease: also commonly see elevated ALP, AST, and ALT.
	Changes can also reflect anorexia, starvation, and dehydration.
Gastric and/or intestinal foreign body	Changes typically reflect anorexia, starvation, stress, and dehydration: leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphocytosis.
	Elevated hematocrit and BUN may reflect dehydration
Gastritis	Same as above
Gastric ulceration	Same as above: anemia is common, positive occult fecal blood test
Proliferative bowel disease	Changes depend on chronicity of disease but often reflect dehydration, possible anemia, and hypoalbuminemia
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis	Can see marked eosinophilia, as high as 35%. Changes can also reflect anorexia, starvation, and dehydration
Megaesophagus	Changes reflect anorexia, starvation, and dehydration, depending on chronicity of disease.

Abbreviations: ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase.

Modified from Jenkins JR. Rabbit and ferret liver and gastrointestinal testing. In: Fudge A, editor. Laboratory medicine, avian and exotic pets. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2000; with permission.