Exocrine Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma and Associated Extrahepatic Biliary Obstruction in a Ferret

A 7-year-old neutered, male, fitch ferret presented for weight loss, decreased appetite, reduced bowel movements, and occasional bruxism. Physical examination confirmed weight loss of 340 g over the preceding 7 months. Abnormal clinicopathologic results included lymphopenia, monocytosis, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased alanine transferase, markedly increased total bilirubin, and hypocalcemia. Plasma glucose was normal. After a discussion of diagnostic and therapeutic options, the owner decided to humanely euthanize the patient and consented to cosmetic necropsy. Microscopic examination of submitted tissues revealed an unencapsulated, infiltrative neoplasm that effaced the pancreatic architecture and metastasized to several other organs, including the lung, liver, and jejunum. Based on the cellular morphology, presence of distinctive rosettes, immunonegativity for insulin, and widespread metastasis, the disease diagnosis was exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma.