Case of the Month: 16-year-old female black-and-white ruffed lemur
Signalment: 16-year-old female black-and-white ruffed lemur (7.7 pounds)
Presentation: Apparently healthy but had difficulty breathing when sedated for annual exam and vaccinations.
Image: A whole-body radiograph demonstrated a very gray right lung—the heart is difficult to see:
A fluid sample was collected through a needle into the lung:
This sample was examined with a microscope, and white blood cells called lymphocytes were observed:
Diagnosis: High cholesterol and protein levels were found in the fluid, so it was chyle (fluid that moves through lymph nodes). The fluid was leaking into the lemur’s chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.
What Do You Think? Click here to view treatment...
Treatment: Veterinarians prescribed Rutin (a special vitamin), which helped stabilize the vessels that carry chyle and then re-absorb the leaked fluid. After six months, the lemur appeared normal (Picture four). She still receives Rutin every day.
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