Mast cell tumors increase in frequency with age in the ferret, and several mast cell tumors may be present at once on the skin of ferrets. Mast cell tumors in the ferret are invariably benign, and pose no significant health risk, other than that incurred with general anesthesia and surgery . However, in the dog, and to a lesser extent, in the cat, mast cell tumors are malignant, and can result in aggressive invasion of surrounding tissues, metastasis to distant tissues, and may result in death. Thus, veterinarians who do not have extensive ferret experience, upon receiving a pathology report documenting the presence of a mast cell tumor, may incorrectly give a poor prognosis, recommend additional surgery, or chemotherapy. The presence of multiple mast cell tumors, or the recurrence of additional mast cell tumors does not warrant a worse prognosis all mast cell tumors in the ferret should be considered to be benign .
Mast cells are cells which help to mediate the immune system of man and animals.
They contain substances such as histamine, which when released into the surrounding skin, may result in intense itching, thus these tumors are often associated with intense itching in the ferret. In dogs, the histamine may also result in gastrointestinal ulceration, and gastric ulcers may be seen in dogs with mast cell tumors. The treatment for mast cell tumors in the ferret is simple surgical removal. These tumors are generally well-delineated, and rarely invade below the skin, so removal of the tumors is rarely incomplete. Microscopically, the neoplasm is composed of well-differentiated mast cells with centrally located hyperchromatic nuclei, and a low mitotic rate.