Right cranial lung lobe torsion in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Kristina S Vuong; Constance Fazio; Cheryl B Greenacre; Nathan Hoggard

doi:10.1111/vru.13457

Right cranial lung lobe torsion in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2025 Jan;66(1):e13457. doi: 10.1111/vru.13457. Epub 2024 Oct 21.

Authors

Kristina S Vuong¹, Constance Fazio¹, Cheryl B Greenacre¹, Nathan Hoggard²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
² Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

PMID: 39431402
DOI: 10.1111/vru.13457

Abstract

A 3-year-old male castrated domestic ferret presented with a 24 h history of lethargy, weakness, and anorexia. The ferret was tachypneic, painful, dehydrated, pale, and obtunded on physical examination. Radiographs and thoracic CT were utilized to diagnose a 360° right cranial lung lobe torsion (LLT) with secondary pneumothorax and pleural effusion. This was confirmed on gross necropsy and histopathology. The LLT was suspected to be secondary to previous trauma based on chronic bilateral rib fractures. Lung lobe torsions are life-threatening conditions infrequently described in veterinary medicine. Based on our review of the literature, this is the first description of an LLT in a ferret.

Keywords: computed tomography; ferret; lung lobe torsion; right cranial lung lobe.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Animals
Ferrets*
Lung / diagnostic imaging
Lung / pathology
Lung Diseases* / diagnostic imaging
Lung Diseases* / pathology
Lung Diseases* / veterinary
Male
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary
Torsion Abnormality* / diagnosis
Torsion Abnormality* / diagnostic imaging
Torsion Abnormality* / veterinary