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  • Clinical Techniques
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Urethral catheterization of the male ferret for treatment of urinary tract obstruction

Abstract

Male ferrets are used in various biomedical research studies and generally thrive in laboratory conditions. Urethral obstruction can occur in male ferrets of all ages, and urethral catheterization may be needed to relieve the obstruction. This column describes urinary catheter selection, placement and monitoring in the male ferret.

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Figure 1: Close-up image (ventral view) of the tip of a ferret's penis (extruded from the prepuce while the ferret was under anesthesia), showing the two projections of the os penis and the groove between them.
Figure 2: An anesthetized ferret with a body wrap to protect the urinary catheter.
Figure 3: A restraint collar is used to prevent the ferret from removing the urinary catheter.

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Correspondence to Christal Pollock.

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Brown, C., Pollock, C. Urethral catheterization of the male ferret for treatment of urinary tract obstruction. Lab Anim 40, 19–20 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0111-19

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