Ferret Basic Care

Ferrets are intelligent, playful and interactive creatures that can make good pets.

Legal restrictions do exist for the ownership of ferrets so make sure to check with your state and local laws before deciding to pursue ferret ownership.  Ferrets are legal in Arizona but not in California.

Average Size: Adult Weight about 1.5 to 3 pounds.

Diet and Feeding

Ferrets are strict carnivores and require a meat based diet. It appears that feeding a diet based on whole prey (e.g., frozen thawed rats, mice, rabbits, or quail) or a frozen nutritionally balanced meat diet may be the healthiest option.  Additionally, feeding whole prey diets seems to be beneficial for maintaining healthy teeth by reducing the build-up of plaque and tartar.

For those who do not like the idea of feeding whole prey diets, there area few kibble diets that are made without grains added. Wysong (Epigen 90) and Marshall’s (Ultimate Carnivore) make grain and starch free diets that are beneficial for ferrets. Evo also has a grain free diet that is beneficial, but has had a few product recalls over the past few years.  ZuPreem makes a Grain-Free Ferret Diet that is available through many local pet stores but may not be beneficial due to the starches in it.

Foods high in carbohydrates and fibers like fruits, bananas, sugary cereals, dairy products and vegetables should be avoided.  These foods can have a negative effect on their digestive system and cause health problems.  Use caution when offering store bought ferret treats since many of these are high in carbohydrates.  Check the label before you buy! Small pieces of cooked chicken or fish can be offered as rewards.

Dog food is NOT appropriate diets for ferrets and can cause health problems.

Since ferrets naturally eat frequent small meals, food and fresh clean water should be available at all times.

Caging

Ferrets need a large cage that is “ferret proofed” to prevent escape; likewise a house should be “ferret proofed” so that electrical cords and other dangerous household items are not accessible by the ferrets.

Two ferrets can live in a wire cage measuring 48 x 24 x 24 inches, with either a wire or solid floor.  Additional space is recommended if the ferrets are not allowed to roam the house for exercise daily.  Due to poor ventilation, glass aquariums are not recommended.

Shelving, hammocks, or tiers may be incorporated into the cage to provide more room to sleep and play.  PVC tubes and large cardboard tubes make great hiding tunnels.

Their enclosure should be easy to clean and disinfect.

Bedding

Ferrets enjoy digging and burrowing into soft materials such as wood shavings, recycled paper products, or pelleted products.  If used, 1-2 inches should be placed on the floor of the enclosure.  However, this is not necessary and many ferrets do well with newspaper or paper towels as floor coverings.  If you include towels or other cloth items in the cage, inspect the edges frequently and trim away loose threads.  If your ferret seems to be chewing on these items, you may need to remove them or you run the risk of your ferret developing a serious surgical condition known as a gastrointestinal foreign body (GIFB).

Sleeping Area

This is an essential part of your ferret’s habitat.  Items such as towels, old shirts, or commercially produced ferret beds or hammocks will provide not only a place for your ferret to sleep, but to feel safe and secure.  It is worth repeating that all cloth items should be inspected and any frayed edges or trailing strings or thread removed.  If holes develop, throw out the item so your ferret does not get entangled and possibly injured trying to crawl through too small an opening.  Provide at least one sleeping area for each ferret.

Litter Box

Ferrets can be litter box trained, and prefer to eliminate in a corner of their enclosure. Use pelleted litter or recycled paper products like Yesterday’s News or Carefresh instead of clay or clumping litters.  Multiple litter boxes can be placed throughout the house for when your ferret is not in their cage.

It may help train a ferret to use a new litter box by adding a small amount of soiled litter from its regular litter box.  Make sure the litter boxes are positioned in corners where the ferret can see the rest of the room — If a litter box is in an open position, a ferret will not feel comfortable using it.

Never scold or spank a ferret or otherwise punish it if it goes outside the litter box.  It will not understand what you are doing.  It is far more effective to praise the ferret when it is actually using the litter box.

Some ferrets can be slow to learn to use the litter boxes outside their cage.  In that case, enclose the litter box with a barrier.  You will probably notice that your ferret goes to the bathroom at a predictable time after it is taken out of its cage.   Some do it right away, others do it after 5 minutes, and some only do it if they have been eating right beforehand. You can then place it inside the barrier and leave it there until it uses the litter box.  After a couple of times, the ferret should get the idea and the barrier can be taken down.  You may have to do this with each litterbox so it learns all of the locations.

Temperature

Ferrets do well in a temperature between 50 and 80°F.  They are susceptible to overheating when exposed to temperatures over 90F for prolonged periods.  Heat stroke can be deadly — do not expose your ferret to warm summer Arizona weather!

Social Life

Ferrets do well alone or in groups.  They may play aggressively together and show other behaviors such as territory marking and hunting.  If frightened, ferrets can show defensive behaviors such as hissing, screaming, and may try to bite.  Ferrets may sleep up to 18 hours a day

Exercise and Play

Ferrets need at least 2 hours of exercise a day outside of their cages.  Soft rubber toys are not appropriate for ferrets.  Ferrets can eat parts of these toys and develop severe medical problems, such as blockage of their digestive systems.  Toys that are OK for your ferret include paper bags, cloth toys made for cats, and hard plastic toys (such as Nylabone), or metal toys.  Throw out cloth toys that start to show visible threads or strings or where the stuffing is coming loose and throw out any plastic items that seem to be easily chewed into smaller pieces. Tubing such as PVC pipes, mailing tubes, or dryer hoses make good exploration zones.  If ferrets are let out of their enclosures to play, the area must also be “ferret proofed¨ to prevent ingestion of harmful materials or chewing of electrical cords.

Habitat Maintenance

Clean the litter box daily and change the litter as needed. Bedding should be changed weekly, or more frequently if needed. The ferret’s enclosure should also be cleaned weekly with a mild soap and should be thoroughly rinsed and allowed to completely dry before reintroducing the ferret to its home.

Grooming and Hygiene

Ferrets produce a musty smell even if they are surgically descented.  This is due to oil producing glands in their skin.  Most ferrets have their anal glands removed (descented) at a very early age (5-6 weeks old), this occurs at the same time they are spayed or neutered.  Ferrets shed their fur twice a year.  Combing them during this time can help eliminate loose fur.  Baths can be given when necessary, but avoid frequent bathing, which can dry out their skin.  Use a ferret or mild puppy/kitten shampoo and do not apply a conditioner.  Nails should be trimmed and ears should be checked and cleaned weekly or as needed.  It is a good idea to brush your ferret’s teeth with a softy baby toothbrush, cat toothbrush, or even just cotton-tip applicators. Enzymatic toothpastes used for cats and MaxiGuard gel work best. Brushing daily is best but even once a week or once every two weeks is better than nothing at all. Even with regular brushing, many ferrets go on to develop tartar and gingivitis so we recommend teeth cleaning as part of the annual care program for your ferret. This procedure is done under general anesthesia. With a proper dental care program, your ferret will have all its teeth even when it is a senior citizen!

Common Health Problems

• Adrenal Gland Disease
• Ear mites are also a common problem in ferrets.  If a thick red-brown waxy buildup is noted in your ferret’s ears consult your veterinarian
• Stomach ulcers
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Lymphoma
• Insulinomas (Hypoglycemia)
• Upper respiratory infections
• Vomiting due to a swallowed object – this is often a life-threatening condition
• Heartworm disease is extremely rare in Arizona but in other parts of the country it is common to have ferrets on monthly preventives for this infection.

Warning Signs: Contact your veterinarian immediately if any of these signs occur: hair loss, lethargy, diarrhea, weight loss, nasal or eye discharge, difficulty breathing, not responding to touch, “glassy eyed stares”, or seizures

Wellness Recommendations

In order for your ferret to have a long healthy life, we recommend the following health care program.

• Physical examination and dental evaluation every 6-12 months depending on age and health: Ferrets often do not show outward signs of health problems until they are very advanced. Routine examinations and screenings help detect early signs of illnesses such as adrenal disease, insulinoma, inflammatory bowel disease, and periodontal disease. It also allows us to answer any health or behavioral questions you may have. Depending on the age and medical history of your ferret, we may recommend a wellness exam more frequently.
• Disease screening tests:
  • Fecal Parasite Test: Ferrets can carry parasites that can infect other pets and people. Giardia and Coccidia are parasites that can cause intestinal problems for ferrets. We recommend all new ferrets coming in to a household have an initial fecal parasite examination.
  • Blood Tests: Yearly blood tests are a good idea for ferrets 4 years and older since they are not always able to tell us they are not feeling well. A thorough blood test will help us understand your ferret’s health, and allow early treatment of any problems detected. A quick test from a drop of blood can quickly screen for insulinoma which causes dangerous drops in blood sugar.
  • Distemper and Rabies Vaccinations: These vaccinations prevent serious diseases of ferrets. Determining which vaccinations are needed and how often they should be administered depends on many factors. A proper vaccination plan should be be determined based on physical examination and individual risk assessment for your ferret.
• Emergency supplies: We recommend that you keep at home a small packet of ferret assist feeding diet (We recommend and sell Oxbow’s Carnivore Care and Emeraid Carnivore Diet) to use if your ferret stops eating or is not eating much. Maintaining better hydration and nutrition will help prevent your ferret from becoming dehydrated and weak prior to being able to get him or her to a ferret veterinarian.
• Microchip: Ferrets’ coats (especially their masks) can change in appearance over time making identification based on photos difficult. Ferrets are also escape artists and are always looking for new places to explore. Microchips can help you and your ferret reunite if it gets away and becomes lost.
• Care while you’re away: We recommend that you identify a qualified pet-sitter for your ferret or consider boarding. We offer a caring boarding environment at our hospital whenever you need someone else to take care of your ferret.

Ferret Diet Recommendations

Ferrets are strict carnivores and require a meat based diet.  It appears that feeding a grain-containing kibble diet puts ferrets at risk of developing certain diseases while feeding a diet based on whole prey (e.g., frozen thawed rats, mice, rabbits, or quail) or a frozen nutritionally balanced meat diet will reduce the risk.  Additionally, feeding whole prey diets seems to be beneficial for maintaining healthy teeth by reducing the build-up of plaque and tartar.

For those who do not like the idea of feeding whole prey diets, there area few kibble diets that are made without grains added. We highly recommend the Wysong ferret diets. Wysong is a freeze dried, grain-free, kibble diet. Freeze drying (versus cooking) preserves many of the nutritional aspect of a raw diet. It comes in two varieties, Wsong Epogen 90 and Wysong Digestive Support, both are available in our store area. Alternative recommendations to Wysong include Pretty Pet’s Natural Gold and Evo’s Ferret Diet.

There has been some controversy recently about diets that include pea flour and duck meat in their formulations and the role they play in the formation of  bladder stones. It is believed that some ferrets may be genetically predisposed to not process cysteine properly and in those specific animals high cysteine diets should be avoided. Because ferrets with this disorder will often pass cysteine crystals in their urine, a simple urine test can be valuable in determining if a ferret may be at risk.

It is very important to transition slowly when switching to a high protein diet to help avoid problems such as diarrhea. If you are switching to Wysong from another brand of ferret food we recommend starting with the Digestive Support variety. Slowly introduce the food over 1-2 weeks by gradually increasing the proportion of the new diet each day. If your pet starts developing any signs of stomach upset (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) give us a call.

There are a few online forums you may wish to join to learn about other homemade diets.  Please be aware that not every thread is written by knowledgeable people and that you should always double-check the information found on the Internet before assuming it is true!

Foods high in carbohydrates and fibers like fruits, bananas, sugary cereals, dairy products and vegetables should be avoided. These foods can have a negative effect on their digestive system and cause health problems.  Use caution when offering store bought ferret treats since many of these are high in carbohydrates. Check the label before you buy! Small pieces of cooked chicken or fish can be offered as rewards.

Dog food is NOT an appropriate diets for ferrets and can cause health problems.

Since ferrets naturally eat frequent small meals, food and fresh clean water should be available at all times.  Most ferrets drink readily from water bottles and all ferrets seem to enjoy splashing in water bowls.

Vomiting & Swallowed Objects in Ferrets

Ferrets are inquisitive pets that explore the world with their mouths.  Commonly, they chew off pieces of toys or furniture as they play.  In some cases, they may swallow a chunk of these objects and it goes on to cause problems.  They are also amazing furry vacuum cleaners and it is a wonder at the sorts of things they find and swallow even in a household that is meticulous about cleaning!  Pieces of leather or rawhide, string or thread, fabric, foam or stuffing from cushions and toys,  rubber bands, and pencil erasers are just a few of the many things that we have removed from ferret stomachs.

It is also common to find hair balls in ferrets and it is suspected that this is due to a disorder of the stomach motility or some other primary gastrointestinal problem wherein the normal amount of hair a ferret removes by daily grooming simply does not pass through the gastrointestinal tract like it should.  A small amount of Laxotone or similar product may help prevent hairballs in susceptible ferrets.

Once a ferret has swallowed an object, there is a chance that it may lodge in the stomach or intestine.  If it does, the ferret will often stop eating and drinking and is some cases vomit.  Vomiting is never normal in ferrets and often a sign that your ferret needs to see us or another veterinarian quickly.

Some ferrets become lethargic and grind their teeth when they are in pain.  A ferret in pain is a ferret that needs emergency care as soon as possible.

Some intestinal foreign bodies can be palpated during physical examination by a veterinarian. X-ray films and other tests may also be needed to confirm the presence of a GI foreign body in your ferret.  Most GI foreign bodies that are not passing through the intestines need to be removed surgically. The good news is that if caught early, most ferrets do very well with surgery and recovery quickly. Our doctors and staff are very experienced with ferret surgery and will provide great care for your ferret when it is in need.

Vaccinations in Ferrets

Ferrets are susceptible to a variety of viral diseases that can cause serious illness and death.

Distemper, the same virus that causes the disease in dogs, is a very serious disease that almost always causes death in unvaccinated ferrets. Even ferrets that never go outside should have distemper vaccinations. Contact with an infected dog or ferret is not the only way your ferret can be infected.  You can bring the deadly virus into your home indirectly on clothes, shoes, or other items after being in close proximity to where an infected animal has been.

Most ferrets receive an initial vaccination by the breeder when they are under 6 weeks old. We recommend 2 additional vaccinations at 3 to 4 week intervals unless the ferret has not received any vaccinations and then 3 are recommended. After finishing their kit series of distemper vaccinations, all ferrets should receive a booster vaccination 1 year later. The vacciantion is labled to be given annually after that. Some research has shown that some ferrets may not need vaccinations every year after their first year booster.  We will explore your ferret’s risk factors and tailor a program just for it.

Rabies is a fatal virus infection that is easily spread by saliva.  It is a public health hazard since it can be transmitted to people by saliva.  Fortunately it is extremely rare in ferrets and is readily prevented by vaccinations. Rabies vaccinations are not required by law for ferrets in Arizona.

Some ferrets have allergic reactions to their vaccinations.  We recommend close monitoring of the ferret for 30 minutes following a vaccination.  We encourage you to spend at least 30 minutes at Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital after your ferret’s vaccination so we may treat your ferret should an allergic reaction develop.  If your ferret has a severe reaction, we’ll discuss what options are appropriate for it in the future.

Tooth Problems in Ferrets

Ferrets can develop plaque and tartar on their teeth as they age.  As the tartar accumulates, it starts to irritate the gums and eventually progresses to gingivitis (bleeding and irritated gums).  Left untreated, a ferret will develop infections of the mouth and may have bad breath, drooling, and difficulty eating.  Over time, this can lead to painful abscesses and loss of the teeth.

It is possible to brush a ferret’s teeth with a softy baby toothbrush or even just cotton-tip applicators.  Enzymatic toothpastes used for cats work well as does plain baking soda.  Brushing daily is best but even once a week or once every two weeks is better than nothing at all.  Even with regular brushing, many ferrets go on to develop tartar and gingivitis so we recommend teeth cleaning as part of the annual care program for your ferret.  This procedure is done under general anesthesia.  With a proper dental care program, your ferret will have all its teeth even when it is a senior citizen!

 

 

This ferret has severe dental disease: gingivitis and bleeding gums (red arrow), plaque and mild tartar (blue arrow), and excess tartar and calculus (green arrow).

Lymphoma in Ferrets

Lymphoma is a cancer of a kind of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte.  Since white blood cells are part of the immune system, they circulate in the blood to every part of the body and are in particularly high concentrations in the bone marrow and lymph nodes.  Due to the widespread occurence of lymphocytes, lymphoma can occur in every organ of the body.  Frustratingly, lymphoma is one of the more common causes of illness in ferrets.  It is also a very tricky disease to diagnose as it can mimic so many other diseases depending on where in the body it manifests.  Anytime a ferret is ill, a veterinarian has to keep lymphoma in mind, even when it is apparently a straightforward sign of some other disease.

Lymphoma diagnosis depends on blood tests and biopsies of your ferret.  Bone marrow sometimes needs to be evaluated too in order to assess if the lymphoma has spread.

If lymphoma is confirmed, some very important points need to be considered and decisions made.  Lymphoma is one of the most easily and successfully treated cancers in animals, and many patients with lymphoma outlive animals with other noncancerous diseases such as heart problems, liver disease, and so on. In other words, lymphoma is serious but far from hopeless, and the majority of ferrets with lymphoma improve significantly or completely, for months and sometimes 1 – 2 years (or more) if they are treated with anticancer medications given at home, in the hospital, or both.  It is important to recognize that while lymphoma is treatable, it is a malignant cancer and usually is not curable.

Once lymphoma has been diagnosed, it needs to be treated if it is possible for you emotionally, financially, and logistically. Without treatment, pets with lymphoma have progression of their original symptoms, and ultimately the disease begins to interfere with vital functions such as food intake and comfortable breathing. With few exceptions, most animals with lymphoma whose owners decline all treatment live days to weeks after the diagnosis has been made. In such cases, the most important factor to monitor is the beginning of suffering, and your veterinarian can help you know beforehand what some signs or symptoms of deterioration could be.

Lymphoma treatment uses a combination of chemotherapy and other drugs.  The course of treatment lasts about 3 months and provides an excellent chance of remission and improving the ferret’s quality of life.  If chemotherapy is not right for your ferret there are other medications that can help improve your pet’s quality of life.  If your ferret is suspected of having lymphoma, please feel free to schedule a consultation with us so we can determine what is the best option for your ferret.

Things to Think About

• Do you want to pursue confirmatory testing to be as certain as possible if your ferret has lymphoma or not?
• Realize that chemotherapy is different in humans versus pets and that dogs and cats rarely have any of the severe side effects that humans do.
• Once lymphoma is confirmed, a decision on treatment is needed. Should you try it to see if it works or opt for no treatment at all? If you are going ahead with treatment, will it be complete, including chemotherapy, in order to try for the greatest chance of beating the cancer back? Or will it be minimal, in order to provide some short-term benefit? For many patients, a “try-and-see” approach is acceptable.
• If relapse occurs and the lymphoma comes out of remission, how long do you wish to continue with treatment?

These questions are essential, and you should not hesitate to discuss them with your doctor, both initially and throughout the period of treatment if you choose to pursue one. There is simply no single right answer to any of these questions, and what is right for one family and one patient will not be right for others.

Do not give up because of one bad day, but rather, be aware of overall trends. Have there been several bad days lately? Does this one bad day make you realize that your pet has not been himself/herself for quite some time? If so, then there is reason to question whether to continue, but if it is a single “off” day, things may be totally different a short while later.

Decide in advance what standards would influence you to euthanize your pet. Stand by these standards, and try not to make emotional or fear-driven decisions in “the heat of the moment.” Deciding these standards in advance can help enormously if a situation arises that requires you to make tough decisions.

Insulinomas in Ferrets

Older ferrets often develop a condition where they collapse suddenly and act very weak or disoriented.  Many times they may start to grind their teeth or chatter and may develop full blown seizures.  These signs are most commonly caused by low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).  Hypoglycemia if ferrets is typically caused by a tumor called an insulinoma that overproduces the hormone insulin.  Insulinomas are diagnosed in ferrets by blood tests that are performed within a few hours of eating.  In some cases, the ferret has to stay at the hospital a few hours so we can obtain a accurate results to make the diagnosis.

Insulinomas may often be surgically removed.  In some ferrets, surgery is not practical and they have to be managed medically.  We can talk to you about the benefits and risks of surgery versus medical management.

If your ferret is showing any of the warning signs above, you should apply corn syrup (e.g., Karo syrup) or pancake syrup to its gums and get to a veterinarian as soon as possible.  If your ferret is seizuring, it is a critical emergency and you need to get to an emergency animal clinic as soon as possible if Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital is not open.

If your ferret has been diagnosed with an insulinoma…

1) Feed him or her 4 to 6 small meals a day and always have food available throughout the day. We recommend feeding grain-free diets, such as Wysong Epigen 90 Digestive Support, which will help regulate your ferret’s blood sugar throughout the day. Do not use semi-moist foods as they are high in simple sugars.  You may need to transition to a different diet slowly since ferrets can be stubborn about changing diets and you do not want your ferret to miss a meal as that can make things worse.

2) Administer any prescription medications as prescribed. Typically most ferrets will be started on prednisolone, a steroid that will increase sugar production from the liver to help prevent low blood sugar levels. Your ferret may need to go on a second medication, diazoxide, when changes in the diet and the prednisone are no longer working as well.

3) If your ferret is drooling, seems nonresponsive or slow to wake up, or has trembling or twitching, immediately give 1 ml of a high sugar syrup (such as Karo corn syrup or honey) followed by a small high protein meal (such as given 5 to 6 ml of chicken baby food by mouth or other cooked meat).  If your ferret does not improve or if they goes on to seizure, this is a medical emergency and your ferret needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately.  If we are not open, please go immediately to the emergency clinic.

4) Surgery may be an option for some ferrets and is recommended for otherwise healthy ferrets under 6 years of age.  In some cases it improves the response to medical management and can cause temporary remission.  In other cases, the tumor may have spread to other organs and surgery provides no advantage to medical therapy.

5) Routine monitoring of your ferret’s blood sugar levels and recheck examination visits are going to be vital to keeping your ferret happy and healthy while treating their insulinoma.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Ferrets

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a very common condition in ferrets.  It often starts out as a few days of soft stool or diarrhea about once a month.  Most people don’t think that this is a cause for concern because the diarrhea clears up without treatment and the ferret continues to act healthy.  Over time, the episodes of diarrhea become longer in duration and more frequent.  At this point, the ferret starts to lose weight and may develop a rough dull hair coat.  Ferrets with IBD may become more finicky about what they eat and become less playful and sleep a lot.  Left untreated, IBD may progress to a form of cancer known as lymphoma.

This ultrasound of a ferret reveals a mass that turned out to be an intestinal lymph node that was enlarged as a result of inflammatory bowel disease. (The Left Kidney is also pictured.)

At Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, we offer a variety of tests to determine whether or not your ferret has inflammatory bowel disease.  We start with a few simple tests of the blood and stool. When problems can not be identified in these tests, surgical biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract are needed to confirm IBD.  Once we have a diagnosis, there are different medications, special diets, and supplements that can dramatically improve your ferret’s quality of life.

If you are seeing soft stools or diarrhea with your ferret, call and make an appointment today!

This incidence of IBD is much higher for ferrets eating diets containing grains and starches. We recommend feeding Wysong Epigen 90 and Marshall’s Ultimate Carnivore grain and starch free diets. Sugary treats should also be avoided. We carry both of these quality ferret diets at our hospital.

 

Ferrets – Gastric Ulcers

Gastric ulcers (stomach ulcers) due to an infection by the bacteria Helicobacter mustelae are relatively common in ferrets. This bacteria is closely related to the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers in people.  Ferrets typically have poor appetites with this condition and may grind their teeth in pain.  Some dehydrate quickly as they are reluctant to drink.  Ferrets may vomit due to gastritis but this is not a consistent sign.  If it vomits blood, that is a very serious sign and emergency care is needed.  Once an ulcer has formed in the stomach, the blood from this ulcer is digested in the intestine and is passed from the body as a very black and pastey to watery stool known as “melena”.  This is also sometimes referred to as tar or tarry diarrhea.  If you notice this sort of stool, you need to get your pet to us or another vet as quickly as possible.

Helicobacter infections can be treated with specific antibiotics, antacids, and stomach protectants.  Supportive care with liquid assist feeding diets (Oxbow’s Carnivore Care or Emeraid Carnivore Diet) are often necessary during the recovery process. Hospitalization and intravenous or subcutaneous fluids may be needed for severly dehydrated and ill animals, and some end up hospitalized for several days.  If allowed to become very advanced prior to treatment, some may die despite treatment due to severe internal bleeding and or blood loss.

Flu Virus in Ferrets

Ferrets commonly come down with sneezing and coughing due to a variety of viral diseases such as influenza (also known as “the flu”). Flu viruses can be passed from ferrets to people and people to ferrets so it is important to practice good hygiene when working around a sick ferret (or around a sick human). Although most ferret flu viruses resolve on their own, sometimes they can allow for secondary bacterial infections and even pneumonia.  If your ferret is sneezing, coughing, has a runny or congested nose, has red or swollen eyes, loses its appetite, or becomes very sleepy and quiet, veterinary care is needed. We advise that exotic pet owners pay close attention to their pets health, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.

Ear Mites in Ferrets

Does your ferret and scratch its ears as if it can’t get the itching to stop?  Do you find dark reddish-brown chunky material coming out when it shakes its head?  If you answered yes, chances are your ferret has ear mites.

A sample of wax from you ferret’s ears can be quickly examined using a microscope to find ear mites if they are present. Once a diagnosis of ear mites has been made, treatment can begin to clear the mites from your ferrets ears.  Of course there are many other conditions that can cause a ferret to shakes it’s head or excessively scratch at its ears, so we always recommend a health consultation whenever you see these behaviors of dirty looking ears.

A microscope slide with the reddish-brown wax suggestive of ear mites

 

 

 

An ear mite egg just ready to hatch as seen under a microscope

Diarrhea: Ferrets

Ferrets develop diarrhea from a variety of causes.  Any time your ferret has diarrhea for more than a day, it may signal a serious underlying disorder and we strongly recommend a health consultation.  It is easier to treat diarrhea disorders when they first start than when they have lasted long enough that your ferret has lost weight and energy!

What Causes Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is any stool that is softer and less formed than usual.  It may range from a slight soft stool that retains its shape to a softer stool that collapses into a pile the consistency of pudding.  It may be more liquid and quickly spread across the floor like a puddle of water.  Diarrhea may be yellow, green, brown, or black, and there may be blood and mucus present in it.  Some forms of diarrhea have tiny granules present.  Unfortunately, diarrhea is not a diagnosis of a disease, but merely a sign of many different kinds of illness.  It is often helpful for you to bring the diarrhea to the office for a veterinarian to evaluate.

Stress

Stress diarrhea often accompanies a move, a change in diet, a change in routine around the house, or even just a ride in the car sometimes.

Infections

Young ferrets may develop diarrhea due to parasites such as coccidia or giardia.  Young ferrets may contract proliferative bowel disease (PBD) caused by a specific bacteria infection.  This is closely related to Campylobacter jejuni that has been implicated in outbreaks of diarrhea but also may be found in healthy ferrets.  Troublingly, this bacteria can be passed from ferrets to humans so if you are having a problem that isn’t resolving, you should talk to your doctor and we should check your ferret for this bacteria.  Another bacteria, Helicobacter mustelae, may cause gastritis and gastric ulcers that result in diarrhea; the diarrhea often appears like black tar due to the presence of digested blood (see our Care Sheet, “Ferrets – Gastric Ulcers”).   Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) is a parvovirus (a distant relative of the ones that cause diseases in dogs) that can cause diarrhea, black tarry stools, and death.  Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (also known as ECE or “green slime” disease) is caused by a coronavirus.  With ECE, the feces may change color and consistency, even within the course of a single day, and may be green and slimy, brown and watery, or have an appearance like tiny yellow to brown millet seeds covered with mucus.  Some ferrets with ECE may go on to develop gastric ulcers.  There are several other viruses that can cause diarrhea.

Other Causes

Inflammatory bowel disease is one of the leading causes of diarrhea in adult ferrets. Lymphoma, hair balls and other intestinal foreign bodies (see our Care Sheet “Ferrets – GI Foreign Bodies”), spoiled food, household chemicals, and many other things may also cause diarrhea.  Inflammatory bowel disease is quite common and it is worth noting that an early sign of this disease are inermittent diarrhea every few weeks to months(see our Care Sheet “Ferrets – Inflammatory Bowel Disease”).  Some ferrets with early adrenal disease may have diarrhea off and on that readily responds to appropriate hormonal treatment (see our Care Sheet “Ferrets – Adrenal Disease Complex”).

What To Do Until You Get To A Vet

Ferrets can become dehydrated quickly when they have diarrhea.  Make sure your ferret is warm and comfortable.  It is important to make sure a ferret has plenty of clean drinking water available both in a water bottle and in a water bowl.  Some ferrets with diarrhea feel to uncomfortable to struggle with a water bottle and need to drink out of a water bowl.  Some are even too weak to drink from a water bowl and need to be given water with a syringe or eye dropper.  Pedialyte (found in most drug stores and grocery stores in the Baby Care aisles) can be used short term at home to try to rehydrate a ferret and provide electrolytes that are lost with diarrhea.  You may need to offer a tablespoon or more of water or Pedialyte every hour or so to offset dehydration.  If your ferret is extremely weak, you need to get to a emergency veterinary hospital immediately.

Do not give over-the-counter medications to your ferret without talking to a veterinarian.  Some of the medications used to treat diarrhea in people can be deadly to ferrets!

As mentioned at the top of this care sheet, whenever your ferret has diarrhea for more than 24 hours, we encourage you to make an appointment with us or another veterinarian for a health exam.

Adrenal Disease Complex in Ferrets

Adrenal disease is one of the most common diseases of ferrets and can occur as early as 18 months old. In adrenal disease, the adrenal glands start to produce excessive sex hormones (both male and female sex hormones). These elevated sex hormones begin to cause problems for ferrets such as hair loss, itchy skin, pot -bellied appearance, loss of muscle tone, and lethargy. Some ferrets are intensely itchy.  Females often develop a swollen vulva.  Males may develop a swollen prostate gland causing difficulty urinating or causing him to have accidents outside the litter box. Female ferrets may develop and enlarged vulva. Some ferrets may show sexual behavior (mounting) or become aggressive. Some ferrets with adrenal disease can develop life-threatening drops in their red blood cells due changes in their bone marrow, and can be incurable if not caught in time. As the disease progresses the abdomen often becomes larger and ferrets become weak in their hind legs s the disease progresses the abdomen often becomes larger and ferrets become weak in their hind legs. If left untreated, adrenal gland disease is a life-shortening and life-threatening disease for ferrets.

 

One or both of the adrenal glands may become hyperplastic(over-active) or develop tumors. The majority of ferrets have hyperplasia or benign tumors. Less frequently, adrenal gland cancer can occur.

Ferret with a swollen vulva due to adrenal disease complex is shown here on the left.

Diagnosing Adrenal Disease

The clinical signs of hair loss, enlarged vulva, difficulty urinating (males), thin skin, and abdominal enlargement support a presumptive diagnosis of adrenal disease.  Diagnostic blood tests including adrenal hormone analysis, complete blood count, and blood chemistries help diagnose adrenal disease and assess your ferret’s overall health.  An abdominal ultrasound to measure adrenal gland size provides confirmation of the diagnosis of adrenal disease and allows for monitoring of response to treatment (glands getting smaller). Additional tests may be needed based on your ferret’s physical examination.

Treatment Of Adrenal Disease

MEDICAL OPTIONS

Medical management of adrenal gland hyperplasia with Deslorelin implants currently is the best recommended treatment with the longest survival.

Deslorelin: Deslorelin implants are currently the best way to treat adrenal gland disease caused by benign tumors or hyperplastic conditions in most ferrets. Studies have shown that desorelin implants are more effective at controlling adrenal disease than older surgical methods of removing the enlarged gland(s). Deslorelin implants do not require anesthesia and surgery and are therefore provide a much less expensive treatment for adrenal disease.  The implants control adrenal gland disease for 16-18 months on average. Most ferrets experience a complete resolution of abnormal signs and seem”back to normal” within 2 months. Ferrets can receive a 2nd implant when the first one stops working if they are still healthy. If you choose Deslorelin therapy for your ferret, a thorough examination and ultrasound exam to measure the adrenal glands is needed.

A progress exam and repeat ultrasound should be performed 1 month after implantation to assess response to treatment. If the tumor is getting smaller and there is good response to treatment, follow up exams and ultrasounds to measure adrenal gland size need to be repeated every 6 months. If no response to medical therapy occurs after 1 month, surgery should be considered.<

Lupron: Lupron (leuprolide acetate) may be given as an injection once a month to control adrenal gland disease.    Some ferrets may do well with monthly Lupron alone, and some may do well with Lupron on a less frequent schedule.  Lupron is highly recommended as an immediate treatment to any male ferret with difficulty urinating and with any female ferret with a swollen vulva.

A progress exam should be performed in 1 month to assess response to Lupron treatment. If there is good response to treatment, Lupron should be administered monthly. Progress exams and ultrasounds to assess response to treatment and to monitor for other health problems need to be performed every 3 months. If no response to medical therapy occurs after 1 month, surgery should be considered.

Ferretonin: There is an even better response to the above treatments when combined with an injection of Ferretonin (slow release melatonin) every 3-12 months.  Ferretonin helps fur regrown more quickly and seems to resolve many other issues in afflicted ferrets.

SURGERY

Approximately 5% of ferrets do not respond to medical management and need surgery. These ferrets often have very large tumors or cancerous ones.

Left adrenal glands are much more commonly involved than right adrenal glands. Surgery to remove the left adrenal gland is usually uncomplicated and is easily removed most of the time in a surgery called a left-sided adrenalectomy. The right adrenal gland is in a more difficult position because it lies very close to a major vein (the vena cava) that can cause extreme bleeding and even death if it ruptures during the surgery. Because of this removal of the right adrenal gland may require two separate surgeries for complete removal or the surgeon may do a single surgery and remove as much of the tumor as possible. Another option is for an ameroid constrictor band to be placed around the vena cava at one surgery and a second surgery in 42-45 days is performed that completely removes the right adrenal gland.

You can see how close this tumor of the right adrenal gland is to the largest vein in the body in the photo on the left.

We offer surgical options including left-sided adrenalectomies, right-sided adrenal debulking surgeries, the ameroid constrictor band right-sided full adrenalectomies, and bilateral adrenalectomies.

Why do ferrets get adrenal disease?

Adrenal gland disease is a genetic disorder that appears to be made worse by a combination of two things, neutering/spaying and exposure to varying hours of artificial light instead of natural seasonal changes in the light cycle.

The neuter and spay surgeries are done before ferrets ever get to pet stores.  Spays are done because serious health problems arise in unspayed ferrets that are not bred every year.  Neuters are done to make male ferrets less odiferous and reduce the risk of behavioral problems.

Ferrets are very sensitive to changes in the day length over the course of the year.  The lengthening of daylight in the spring, and shortening of daylight in the fall, sets the pattern for their reproductive cycle. Pet ferrets are usually kept indoors, and are exposed to lights at different times of the day and night, usually without any seasonal pattern.  Without the regular change in photoperiod over the course of a year, they do not have the right triggers for normal hormone production, and the adrenal glands can overproduce sex hormones. This typically happens at 3 years or older but has been seen in ferrets as young as 1.5 years.

Further Reading

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