Illness
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Symptoms
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| Canine Distemper | This disease affects the respiratory, gastrointenstinal, and neurological system of ferrets. This disease is fatal, but can been prevented with vaccines. This is an airborne disease. |
| Rabies | My advice for rabies is if you plan on travelling outside your local area, vaccinate against rabies. In the Okanagan, mainly Kelowna, rabies is fairly non-existent, but that's not to say it can't happen. |
| Anal Prolapse | This condition is triggered by dragging the rearend and whimpering. It can be caused by the E-Coli bacteria, which can be transmitted from ferret to humans and vice versa. It is treated with medication. |
| Cardiomyopathy | The heart muscle becomes thickened, causing it to pump less blood, leading to poor circulation. Symptoms include increased sleeping, collapsing during play, lethargy, and poor appetite. Can be controlled through medication |
| Colds and Flu | Ferrets are susceptible to the same strain of cold and flu virus that affects humans. If someone in your home becomes ill with a cold or flu, they should avoid contact with the ferrets. If your ferret does contract the virus, keep them warm and give them plenty of fluids. If symptoms persist for more than a few days, contact your vet. |
| Cushions Disease | Symptoms include hair loss, frequent thirst, urination of large amounts, sluggishness, muscle loss and a pot bellied appearance. Consult your vet. |
| Black Tarry Stools | This usually signifies an inflammation of the intestinal tract. Do not ignore the symptoms, consult your vet. |
| Lack of Stool | Absence of any stool for a 24 hour period should not be taken lightly. The most common cause is an intestinal blockage. Lack of stool with vomitting must be dealt with promptly. It may be necessary to have x-rays performed to locate the blockage and then surgery to remove it. |
| Ear Mites | These tiny insects which while not dangerous will make your ferret miserable. Signs include the ferret frantically scratching its ears, shaking its head, crying or hitting the head against the wall. There are numerous treatments in dealing with these pests. Ear mites are contagious and can be spread to other animals in the household. If your ferret has ear mites, have your other animals checked out for them as well. |
| Fleas | There are many remedies available for flea infestations. Remember, if your ferret has them, your house has them too. There are several brands of flea sprays to clean your house of the eggs. |
| Ingestion of Foreign Objects | Ingestion of balloons, rubber bands, bits of sponges, pencil erasers, towels, cotton balls, and latex rubber from rubber pet toys can cause intestinal blockages, which can be fatal. Symptoms include swelling, black, sticky, or non-existent stools, vomitting, or finding evidence of chewed items. Blockages can kill a ferret in a very short time, if you notice any of these symptoms,Go To Your Vet Immediately!!! |
| Insulinomas | Symptoms include seizures, glassy eyes, drooling, and choking. Sugar applied to the gums (in the form of corn syrup) helps to bring the ferret out of seizures |
| Lumps | Lumps under the skin should be examined by your vet. If the lump is red and warm, it is probably an abscess, which should be treated immediately. |
| Pancreatic Tumor | Symptoms include pawing at the mouth, excess salivation, sluggish behaviour, seizures and coma. Consult your vet. |
| Pawing At the Mouth | This can be caused by gum or mouth inflammation, or a pancreatic tumor. Consult your vet. |
| Skin Tumor | The most common is mast cell tumor - a round raised button like lump. It is usually itchy. The other most common type is sebaceous gland adenoma which has the appearance of an irregular growth and bleeds easily. Most skin tumors should be removed. |
| Aplastic Anaemia & Septicaemia in Females | This is the leading cause of death in females. If a female is not spayed or repeatedly bred there is a 90% chance that she will die in the first heat season. Best to spay and descent to avoid this. |
| Blocked Scent Glands | If your ferret has not been descented, you will need to check for "special" problems that may ensue. |
| Stings | The stings of a bee or wasp can very dangerous to a ferret. Take your pet to the vet STAT. |
| Swallowing Poison | Act fast. Name the poison (household cleaners I also include in this group), and describe the symptoms fully to your vet. |
| Valley Fever | This disease produces spores which become airborne and cause infection when inhaled. Symptoms include chronic respiratory infection or cough, skin lesions, joint enlargement, loss of weight and appetite, lethargy, and fever. This disease is treatable, consult your vet. |
| Vomitting | Food should be restricted for 6 to 8 hours. If vomitting continues or contains blood or associated with appetite loss or depression, consult your vet |
| Pneumonia | The symptoms are the same as in humans. Labored breathing or rattling, fever and signs of a cold persisting beyond the normal few days. Take to your vet for treatment. |
| Feline Distemper | This is not a common occurence in ferrets. Ferret are more prone to Canine distemper (see above). |
| Physical Injuries | Ferrets are small and agile, making it easy to get into accidents. Car doors and being dropped are common sources of injury. |
| Back Injuries | These are always serious, take to your vet immediately. Be sure to keep your ferret stationary while in transport, allowing the ferret to move will only aggravate the injury. |
| Broken Teeth | Be sure to include dry food in your ferrets diet to try to build the strength of the teeth. If a tooth is broken, your vet should check to be sure there is no infection. |
| Bite Wounds | Even while playing, bites can occur. Be sure to keep the wound clean, if it becomes red or doesn't heal as it should, consult your vet. |
