Mortality in ranch-raised mink: a year in review

摘要

As consulting veterinarian for the Fur Breeders Agricultural Cooperative located in Midvale, Utah, I receive calls from ranchers both within and outside of the state Utah concerning mink and the various diseases that affect ranch-raised mink. From October 1998 through December 1999, 286 mink were necropsied for ranchers in Utah and Idaho. The months with the most losses were June and October. Of the 286 mink necropsied, many of the mink were noted to have multiple lesions. Urinary tract infectionssuch as hemorrhagic cystitis and urolithiasis (stone formation) were diagnosed more frequently than any other condition. Fifty-two mink were found to be affected with some form of urinary tract dysfunction. Gastro-intestinal disease, enteritis, and diarrhea were diagnosed 49 times. These mink had classical symptoms of diarrhea, inflamed intestinal mucosa and hemorrhage. These mink suffered from bacterial enteritis or variant strain (corona virus?) enteritis. These mink did not appear to have mink virusenteritis.