Health Problems In Ferrets
Fleas have three species, Ctenocephalides felis,
Ctenocephalides canis, and Pulex irritans that can affect dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, ferrets and many other animals. The
adult flea will live on its host long enough to acquire its blood meal and lay its eggs. Also, the flea spends time in the
surrounding environment laying more eggs and waiting for its next victim. Adult fleas live about 3 to 4 months and the entire
life Some pets (as well as some humans) can and will develop an allergic skin reaction to the flea's
saliva resulting in scabs, sores, intense itching and hair loss. It is therefore important that flea control be aimed at removing
the fleas both from the pet as well as from the environment or the fleas will not be eliminated.
Even though ferrets have
fairly thick skin, flea medications can still cause a localized dermatitis or be absorbed directly through the skin and cause
an internal toxic reaction. Too, if the ferret can reach the area where the product is applied, it may lick the product during
grooming activities and ingest toxic amounts of the material. Whenever you use a new product on your pet, you will need to
observe your ferret closely for 24 hours following application for signs of toxicity. Some of the signs to look for are redness
of the skin, intense scratching, lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, diarrhea, excessive salivation, tremors, seizures
and loss of consciousness. If you observe any of these signs, wash the product off the ferret immediately, using mild soap
and lots and lots of water, and be sure to call your veterinarian for further instructions. Keep all flea products and soaps
away from the ferret's eyes, ears and mouth. It is best to discuss with your veterinarian which type of flea medication to
use as many of the over the counter flea medications are toxic and deadly to your ferret.
Make sure not to use flea collars on ferrets
for any reason. The material in the collar often toxic and contact with the collar can cause serious skin irritation. Also
your ferret can get the collar wedged over the lower jaw and if it may try to chew it off. Also, if the collar gets caught
on something, it could choke to death.
Colds and flu:
Ferrets can catch colds and the flu just as we do. They will also display
the same symptoms that we do: runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, and loss of appetite. One particular
problem is the human viral influenza type A. If anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms of a cold or flu, you should
not let your ferrets come in contact with them. Ferrets can easily catch your cold or flu and your sick ferret can then re-transmit
the disease back to you.
Usually, there is no need for medication; just make sure your ferret drinks
plenty of water and is placed away from drafts. However, if the symptoms become chronic and/or persist for more than three
days, you will need to take your pet to the vet. One word of caution, never give aspirin to a ferret.
Coccidia is a gastrointestinal parasite which
affects the lining of the ferrets intestinal track and can cause bloody or black, tarry diarrhea. Coccidia is usually caused
by poor sanitation and also can be picked up from the environment.
Coccidia is not contagious or transmittable
to humans. However, it is very contagious to other ferrets, dogs and even cats.
Symptoms can include:
1. A very strong odor to your ferret and its
2. Diarrhea which may be black tarry, bloody
or contain mucus. Often the rectum has prolapsed.
3. Weight loss in your ferret.
4. Dehydration. (This may become severe.)
If left untreated, Coccidia will continue
to affect the intestinal lining causing a thickening and ferrets may also have enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. It can be
life threatening and even fatal. Constant cleaning of the litter box, bedding, cage area and environment is also important
in eradicating the parasite.
Aleutians Disease :
Aleutians Disease or ADV is a form of parvovirus that affects
minks and ferrets. It is highly contagious from ferret to ferret, but since it is not the same parvovirus for dogs and cats,
it will not affect them. The virus fools the ferret's immune system into overproducing antibodies, which can then damage internal
Overall, ADV is a "wasting" disease. On the other hand, many ferrets who
carry and shed the virus show no symptoms at all. However, they are still contagious to your other ferrets. Unfortunately,
ADV doesn’t really have definitive recognizable symptoms. If your ferret is chronically sick, is losing weight and muscle
tone, or has diarrhea and is not thriving, ADV is a possible cause of the ferret’s illness. For
more information go to http://ferretadv.com/ I want to thank Darzi for bringing this to our attention.
Insulinoma or pancreatic cancer is the most common cause of tumors in ferrets.
It is estimated that more than 30% of ferrets over 2 years of age are affected. This type of cancer causes hyperglycemia (low
blood sugar). Signs include depression, a glazed look, and posterior weakness which can include dragging the back legs or
paralyses of the back legs and seizures. The most revealing signs include profuse salivation and pawing at the mouth. (These
are indicative of nausea which is common in ferrets with insulinoma) Treatment may include surgery. However, this is only
a temporary treatment. Medical treatment includes frequent feeding, administering prednisone and dizoxide as clinical signs
necessitate. Unfortunately, in the end, insulinoma is fatal. Ferrets over the age of two should be
screened approximately every six months.
Adrenal tumors are very common in
ferrets, and this cancer occurs with the same frequency as insulinoma and often concurrently. Although it generally affects
ferrets over the age of three years of age, it can also affect one as young as a year old. These tumors occur twice as frequently
in female ferrets than the males. Signs can include bilateral symmetric hair loss, usually starting at the tail base and then,
progressing up the body. Your ferret may have a history of hair loss and spontaneous regrowth. Dryness
of the skin, accompanied by itchiness is often associated with adrenal disease. There may be a loss of muscle tone and weakness
and in the female an enlarged vulva may be present.
Lymphosarcoma is cancer of the lymph
nodes and also is common in ferrets. The most commonly affected organs are the spleen, liver, and, lymph nodes of the chest
and extremities. The clinical signs are dependent upon the organs affected. Symptoms can include weight loss, enlarged spleen,
lethargy, difficulty breathing, enlarged lymph nodes, and skin tumors. Treatment may include surgery and /or chemotherapy.
Cardiomyopathy actually means heart
muscle disease. It generally affects ferrets over the age of two. With CMP the muscle of the heart becomes progressively weaker,
and the heart is no longer strong enough to pump all of the blood .This congenital problem manifests as ferrets get older.
As the muscle weakens, it stretches, and the heart gradually becomes enlarged. CMP has two forms:
hypertrophic and dilated. Hypertrophic is where there is a thickening of the heart muscle that causes a deceased size of the
chambers of the heart. Dilated cardiomyopathy is caused by a loss of muscle tone decreasing the strength of the heart muscles.
Therefore, the heart can not pump blood.
Symptoms include a murmur, weight
loss, decreased activity, and difficulty breathing. The treatment for CMP depends upon the type of cardiomyopathy. Diagnosis
is made through x-ray and ultrasound.
There are several other ailments not
covered here. The best advice we can give you is to
become familiar with your ferret and its personality, and to become informed about the different health problems of ferrets. There
is information you can read on the internet and books you can purchase. When in doubt, it is always
wise to take your ferret to your vet.