A ferret with a fever of unknown origin

Abstract

"Peanut", a 6-month-old male castrated ferret, presented to Cornell University's Companion Animall Hospital's Emergency/Triage Service on May 20, 1995. On the previous day, the owners had noted lethargy and an odd posture in which he held his hindlimbs under his body. A trip to their local veterinarian revealed that he ws pyrexic with a temperature of 105.8 degrees F. (normal 100-103 degrees F.); he was given an intramuscular injection of enrofloxacin (8.7 mg/kg; 11.35 mg IMP and the owners were instructe to monitor his temperature. When his temperature did not decrease, his owners elected to bring him to Cornell. Other pertinent medical history included that there were two other ferrets in the household who were in good health and he was up-to-date on his rabies and distemper vaccinations.