RADIOGRAPHIC AND ANGIOGRAPHIC EVALUATIONS OF FERRETS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH DIROFILARIA IMMITIS |
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| Authors: | Prasit Supakorndej PhD Robert E Lewis DVM MS John W McCall PhD Michael T Dzimianski MS DVM Robert A Holmes DVM PhD |
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| Institution: | Departments of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.;Departments of Anatomy and Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.;Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. |
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| Abstract: | Five ferrets of each sex were each inoculated with 15 third-stage infective larvae of Dirofilaria immitis to study radiographic and angiographic changes in the cardiopulmonary system following heartworm infection; 5 additional ferrets of each sex served as noninfected controls. Prior to inoculation and every 8 weeks thereafter until 40 weeks, the infected and noninfected ferrets were radiographed; angiographic examinations were done prior to necropsy. At necropsy, the worms in the heart, lungs, and associated vessels were counted, and lung histosections were prepared and examined for changes. Radiographic changes were seen in the right side of the heart and associated vessels of infected ferrets as compared with the noninfected ferrets, but changes were less prominent than those seen in heartworm-infected dogs and cats. The changes were primarily an increase in the size of the right side of the heart, especially the right atrium. Radiographically, no changes could be visualized in the pulmonary vascular system. Worms in the enlarged cranial vena cava, azygous vein, and left caudal lobar pulmonary artery of infected animals were delineated by angiography. Histologically, no changes were seen in the pulmonary vascular tissues. |
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| Keywords: | dirofilariasis ferret radiography angiography heartworm |
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