Presentation
Max was presented to the primary veterinary practice with a history of intermittently dragging his hindlimbs and ‘ bunny hopping ’. There was no traumatic cause identified before he developed these clinical signs .
Max lived in a large indoor cage . He was up to date with distemper vaccinations and was fed a raw diet consisting of defrosted mice or small rats , alongside a kibble ferret food . He was supplemented with vitamins E and B , and green-lipped mussel extract , omega fatty acids and fish oil . He was allowed daily supervised exercise outside the cage .
Once his owner noticed his lameness , Max was cage rested and all the levels of the cage were removed . Two other ferrets from the same litter showed similar clinical signs .
Max was prescribed meloxicam , but this did not improve the clinical signs . Radiographs revealed a right femoral neck physeal fracture , and he was referred to a specialist exotics service .
Assessment
On examination at the referral practice , Max was bright , alert and responsive . He was described as large for his age , but his body condition score was not recorded . He was difficult to examine as he played constantly , and his high activity levels and play-biting made it difficult to assess his pain levels .
His lameness scores ranged between 7 / 10 and 10 / 10 . According to the history , some crepitus was felt on the right hip and he occasionally dragged one or both hindlimbs when mobilising , but the owner reported that the left hindlimb was dragged more often .
Figure 15 . Radiograph of Max , obtained before surgery . Photo permission from Michelle Howe .
Surgery revealed a grossly abnormal right femoral neck , and a fracture line at the anticipated ostectomy site on the left side . Both femoral heads were submitted for histopathology , which revealed capital physeal dysplasia . Postoperative radiographs were satisfactory ( Figure 16 ).
To enable radiographic examination , anaesthesia was induced with medetomidine ( 0.05 mg / kg ) and ketamine ( 5 mg / kg ), both administered intramuscularly . A 24 G intravenous ( IV ) catheter was placed , and Max was intubated with a 2 mm uncuffed endotracheal tube and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen . The radiographs showed an osteolytic lesion affecting both femoral necks , with a pathological fracture of the left femoral neck .
Radiographs obtained before surgery ( Figure 15 ) showed subluxation on the right side with sclerosis at the base of the femoral neck , and resorption of the left femoral neck with a slight drift dorsally of the greater trochanter , relative to the femoral head . There was inconsistency of both capital physeal surfaces .
Max received IV methadone ( 0.3 mg / kg ) and underwent bilateral FHNE surgery . He received meloxicam ( 0.2 mg / kg ) subcutaneously and intraoperative IV fluid therapy ( 5 ml / kg / hour ).
Figure 16 . Radiograph of Max , obtained after surgery . Photo permission from Michelle Howe .
38 Veterinary Nursing Journal