Post Mortem Examinations in Ferrets

Katrina D. Ramsell Ph.D, DVM

(Revised November 2002)

I would like to discuss the delicate but very important subject of post mortem (after death) examinations. Without this important diagnostic tool we would be unable to answer many questions and it would be much more difficult to advance our knowledge of ferret medicine.

Death is an inevitable part of our experience here on Earth, both for our beloved pets and us.  Although we make an effort to prolong the lives of our pets and preserve the highest quality of life when our pets are ill, death is a normal part of the cycle of life.

When one of our pets dies, we often feel that we have lost a family member.  And although death can bring overwhelming sadness and grief, it can also bring an end to suffering, a sense of relief, peacefulness, and great knowledge.  As ferret owners, we learn to feel a unique sense of joy and happiness when we watch a happy ferret doing the weasel war dance, when we hear wagging tails thumping inside a ferret tunnel, or when we see a pile of ferrets curled up together in a hammock.  These wonderful creatures can continue to teach us valuable lessons even after they have died.  Their physical body can help us understand disease processes and causes of disease, effectiveness of medical therapies, and give us insight to the effects that diet, environment, and genetics have on ferrets.  Knowledge that we gain from ferrets who have passed away allows us to help other ferrets, especially those who may be suffering from the same or a similar illness.

The correct term for examining an animal’s body after it has died is a “postmortem” examination, with “post” referring to after and “mortem” referring to death.  Another term that is commonly used for this procedure is a “necropsy”.  The term “autopsy” is used only for humans because “auto” means self and refers to humans performing postmortem examinations on the same species, which is other humans.  Postmortem examinations have been performed for thousands of years, primarily to determine the cause of death of the person or animal.  Without the knowledge gained from performing postmortems, we would likely be far behind in our ability to detect and manage diseases.  Because our understanding of ferrets lags behind that of other species such as dogs, cats, and people, the postmortem is even more vitally important to the future health and welfare of ferrets as a species.

When should a postmortem examination be performed?  In order for us to gain the most useful information, a postmortem exam should be done within 48 hours after death.  It is important to make sure that the deceased pet is kept at a cool temperature during this time.  If the pet is kept in an environment where the temperature is over 70 degrees, the body will decompose rapidly and this will greatly diminish our ability to obtain useful information.  It is best to try to get the pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible after death and to keep the body refrigerated (below 40 degrees) until then.  It is important to make sure that the body is NOT frozen though, as freezing will damage the tissues, and ice crystals can form making diagnostics very difficult.

What happens during a postmortem examination?  In most cases, even if it is thought that an animal died from a specific problem or disease, the entire body is examined to try to make sure nothing is missed.  Necropsies can help determine the extent of an animal’s disease, and sometimes we find that there were several concurrent disease processes present.  To get the whole picture, we examine all of the major organ systems, such as liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs.  In ferrets, it is particularly important to examine their pancreas, adrenal glands, bowel, and spleen.  In order to examine the ferret’s body, an incision is usually made on the underside of the ferret similar to that with surgery.  At first, all of the organs are viewed in place, and then each organ system is evaluated separately.  If a ferret is exhibiting signs of a disorder involving the central nervous system, it may also be necessary to evaluate the brain and or spinal cord.  Sometimes the cause of death is obvious by just looking at the body with the naked eye.  Other times it is necessary to send small tissue samples to a histopathologist to be further evaluated.  This person looks at the tissues microscopically so that a more complete diagnosis can be made.  If it is thought that a ferret died from a bacterial infection, cultures can be taken from a variety of tissues to help confirm this.  After a necropsy is completed, the veterinarian will suture the incision closed.  A “cosmetic postmortem” refers to closing the incision in a way that returns your pet’s body to as normal an appearance as possible.  One may want to request this if the pet will be viewed again after the postmortem examination takes place.  At this point, the pet is usually either cremated or taken home to be buried.  If you have your pet cremated, then you may have the option of getting the ashes back after cremation.

Why is it important to have postmortem examinations performed?

1.  If you have a multi-pet household, and especially if you have more than one ferret, a postmortem exam can reveal if the animal that died had a disease that could be contagious to your other pets.  It can also indicate that there are environmental hazards present that your ferrets have access to, such as rubbery objects (which when ingested can potentially cause a fatal intestinal blockage) or toxic agents which can be poisonous to your pets. Determining the cause of death in cases such as these may give you a chance to prevent your other pets from potentially dying from the same illness or accident as your deceased ferret.

2. If your ferret’s death was sudden and unexpected, a postmortem exam can help explain why your ferret died.  It is easy to blame ourselves for negligence or oversight when one of our pets dies unexpectedly, but only with a postmortem exam will we be able to know for sure if the condition was preventable or treatable.  Without knowing the cause of death, we may never know what happened, and not only will we continue to torture ourselves with second guesses, we won’t have any information to help prevent other pets from possibly suffering the same fate.  Although all creatures eventually die, it is helpful to understand if or when we had any effect on the event.  It is often a relief to know that an animal’s death is not something that could have been altered or prevented in any way.

3. Postmortem examinations can be important in indicating whether or not treatment of a disease has been successful.  It is necessary to know if our medical, surgical, and dietary treatments are being beneficial or not.  Having this information allows us to improve our therapeutic regimens and develop new methods for treating sick and debilitated patients.

4. Postmortem examinations can reveal dietary, environmental, or genetic problems.  Providing a proper diet and environment can play a crucial role in the health of your ferret.  Identifying genetically based diseases is important as they can contribute to detrimental health problems in vast numbers of ferrets.  One day we will hopefully be able to eliminate certain genetic defects.

How much does it cost for a postmortem examination?  There can be a wide range of costs associated with a postmortem exam.  Veterinarians may or may not charge for the procedure of performing a necropsy.  Sometimes the procedure is inexpensive or free of charge if the animal is a current patient or dies while being hospitalized for example.  Others will have specific charges associated with species or size of the animal or the extent of the postmortem exam.  Fees are almost always charged when tissues are sent to a histopathologist for microscopic examination, as the histopathologist charges the veterinarian for these services.   You may also be charged a fee for tissue samples to be packaged and mailed.

In conclusion, postmortem examinations are an extremely valuable means for advancing our knowledge of ferrets and improving the care that we are able to provide them.  Deciding whether or not to have a postmortem examination done on one of your pets when it dies may be difficult. Because it is such a delicate subject that comes up at such a painful time, some veterinarians are hesitant to offer a postmortem examination.  It is important to think about this issuebefore your pet passes away.  Knowing ahead of time what you want to do will make the situation less stressful on you, your family, and your veterinarian when the difficult time arrives. If you decide that you do not want your pet to have a postmortem examination, your veterinarian will respect your decision and it won’t be necessary to explain your position.  These little creatures are your friends and it is ultimately up to you what happens to them after they die.