Ferret Medical Information

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Ferrets, or Mustela Putorius Furo, are rapidly becoming the third most popular pet in the United States.  However, many vets are still not very familiar with them, although the numbers are rising.  Because of that, and because many people prefer not to spend the money on a vet visit until it can sometimes be too late, here are a few things to look for, and a few home remedies that can sometimes help.  This brochure does not in any way take the place of a vet, however, and if you suspect something is wrong, please go see a vet.  Whether they have ferret experience or not, they do have four+ years of extensive training on animals in general, and numerous years of experience.

Basic Ferret Facts and Standards
Ferrets live an average of 6-10 years, with lifespan depending on heredity, attention and care, diet, and exercise.
A healthy female ferret will weigh anywhere from 1-3lbs, and a healthy male ferret will weigh anywhere from 2.5-5lbs.
A well fed, well bred healthy ferret will have soft, silky fur, and long whiskers.
The normal rectal temperature is 100-103 F (37.8-39.4 C)
The normal heart rate is 216-250 bpm.
The normal respirations are 33-36 per minute.
Normal fasting glucose (4 - 6hrs) is between 65-164.
Ferrets usually reach full adult size by the age of six months.
Ferret age is usually determined by the upper canines, a solid bright white tooth would indicate a ferret a year or younger, a yellow completely translucent tooth would indicate a ferret of around six years or older.
Ferrets are nearsighted, and can only see in shades of grey, although it is thought that some can see some blues and reds.
Ferrets have an excellent sense of smell.
Ferrets are carnivores (meat eaters)
Ferrets can not survive out in the wild.
It is thought that ferrets have been domesticated for over 2500 years.

Vaccinations
Ferrets require only two vaccinations, both of which are extremely important for the life of your ferret.  Ferrets require Fervac-D for canine distemper.  This shot is required at least twice, three weeks apart, for a young ferret or a ferret with unknown vaccination history, then once a year every year afterwards for the life of the ferret.  Canine distemper is extremely contagious.  Keeping your ferret indoors is no protection against this deadly disease.  If you so much as come into contact with an infected animal, or even where one has been, you can take it home on your clothing to your ferret.  Vaccination is the only protection, there is no cure.  Canine distemper has a 100% fatality rate.
Ferrets also require Imrab-3 for rabies.  Ferrets are unlikely to come into contact with rabies, and even if they do, have only slim chance of shedding it in their saliva.  There has never been a case in the history of the United States of ferret passing rabies onto a human.  However, if your ferret is not vaccinated, and he bites or nips someone, he can and will be killed and tested.  A vaccinated ferret will most likely just be quarantined for several days or weeks.
Ferrets occasionally have reactions to vaccinations.  These are rare, but can be life threatening.  Just because your ferret has never had a reaction does not mean he will never have one.  It is a good idea to stay at the vets office for 20-30 minutes after a vaccination to be on the safe side.  It is also a good idea to separate your ferrets canine distemper shot and your ferrets rabies shot by three weeks.  If your ferret exhibits any kind of strange behavior after a reaction, such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or anything out of the ordinary, get the ferret back to the vet immediately.  Very rarely, ferrets have had reactions a few days after a vaccination.

Symptoms to Worry About

Common Diseases
Common cold and Flu. Ferrets are the only animal in the world that catch the same cold and flu that humans do.  Symptoms can be a runny nose, sneezing, lethargy, and little appetite.  Just like in humans, this will usually pass on its own, although in serious cases, amoxicillan is usually prescribed to help any secondary infections.

Helicobacter Mustelae Infection (Gastric Ulcers)
Gastric ulcers are commonly seen in ferrets that have been under stress.  Most ferrets have the bacteria that causes gastric ulcers already in their system, so a blood test usually does not show much.  However, it is only harmful if it flares up, which can be caused by stress such as a new ferret, a change in environment, a change in owners, or an illness.  Gastric ulcers are easily treated, but without treatment, are fatal.  Symptoms include, loss of appetite, bloody, or dark tarry stools, grinding of teeth, and in extreme cases, gagging and pawing at the mouth.  Treatment is usually either Flagyl, Amoxicillan, and Pepto Bismol daily for six weeks, or Biaxin, Amoxicillan, and Pepcid A/C daily for two weeks.  The latter treatment is much faster, and is usually better received by the ferret.

Epizotic Catarral Enteritis (ECE)
Also known as the green slime disease, ECE is a very contagious virus, that as of yet, has no preventative, and no cure.  Symptoms of ECE include, dark green slimy diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, birdseed like stools, and is extremely contagious.  If you have ECE, every ferret in your household will come down with it.  ECE is not usually fatal, except in older ferrets, especially those with other diseases.  ECE attacks the digestive system, and is thought to cause permanent damage.  Young ferrets, under a year, may only have symptoms for a day or two.  Older ferrets may have symptoms anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.  In these cases, the ferret will need to be force fed in order to survive.  Duck soup is usually a good place to start.  The ferret may also need pedialyte, or even subcutaneous fluids, and an antibiotic for secondary infections.  Interferon is a cat drug thought to help ferrets with ECE.  Once a ferret has been exposed to ECE, they can be carriers of the virus for up to a year without showing any symptoms.

Insulinoma
Insulinoma is a cancer of the pancreatic beta (insulin producing cells).  The tumors produce an excessive amount of insulin, which drives the blood sugar (glucose) into the body at too rapid of a rate.  Symptoms include, staring blankly into space, drooling, lethargy, hind end weakness (drunken walk), little appetite.  Insulinoma will eventually progress to death if not treated.  Treatment consists of surgery to remove the tumors, which may or may not help, or medically with Prednisone and Proglycem, which will not cure the cancer, but will slow down the growth, and treat the symptoms.  Insulinoma is the opposite of diabetes, which is extremely rare in ferrets, although not unheard of.

Adrenal Tumors
Adenomas and Adenocarcinomas are becoming more and more frequent in ferrets over the age of three.  Adenomas are adrenal tumors that are benign, adenocarcinomas are malignant.  These tumors are not quite cancer, but close.  There are three different kinds, left side, right side, and bilateral.  Most tumors are left sided, some right sided, and a few bilateral.  Symptoms include hair loss, swollen vulva in a spayed female, urinary blockages in a male, ferrets acting like they are in heat (overly friendly to other ferrets).  Very rarely does it affect energy until the final stages.  In fact, some ferrets seem to have even more energy in the beginning stages of the disease.  Treatment consists of surgery to remove the affected adrenal gland, which can be very difficult if it is right sided or bilateral due to the vena cava.  The only alternative is Lysodren (aka Mitotane) which is almost a kind of chemotherapy.  Some people have also had good luck with Lupron in addition to the Lysodren.  Lysodren can have many side effects, and needs to be monitored closely.  Without treatment, ferrets will have maybe 6-18 months after onset of symptoms, with treatment, 12 months to a full life.

Lymphosarcoma
Lymphosarcoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system.  Somewhat similar to lymphoma in humans, diagnosis can be made using a combination of CBC, biopsy of lymph or popliteal nodes, Thoracic fluid and/or bone marrow aspirate and cytology.  Symptoms can include an enlarged spleen, lumps or masses on the body, wasting and lethargy.  Treatment consists of a chemotherapy protocol, including prednisone, vincristine, and cytoxin, which may cause remission, but has only a 70% success rate, Alkeran, which may or may not help, or Prednisone alone, which will treat the symptoms, but not the disease.

Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy and/or Congestive Heart Failure is when the heart muscle begins to weaken, and cannot pump all of the blood normally.  As the blood begins to back up, it fills the area around the heart, and gradually, the lungs.  Very similar to what occurs in humans, cardiomyopathy is a debilitating disease in which the symptoms can be treated, but the disease will run its course.  Symptoms can include a persistent cough, lack of energy, and difficulty breathing.  Diagnosis can be made by EKG, or x-ray.  Treatment consists of diuretics such as Lasix, which will help keep the fluid down.  Stress can be fatal to a ferret with CMP, keep things as normal and steady as possible.

Fleas and Earmites
Ferrets are just as suceptible to fleas as any other animal, and can also frequently end up with earmites.  Fleas, in addition to being very uncomfortable for the ferret, can also cause serious medical problems in ferrets.  When a ferret is covered with fleas for any length of time, the ferret wil become anemic, and can even die from this.  Over the counter treatments are not a good idea, they will not do much for the fleas, and can make the ferret very sick.  Never use a flea collar on a ferret, or use a flea dip.  If you do have a ferret with fleas, we suggest either Frontline, Advantage, or Program, all of which can only be obtained at a veterinarians.  If you have a problem with fleas in your home, you can obtain a flea bomb from your veterinarian which will take care of the fleas.  Remove the ferrets from the house at the time of the bombing, a few hours later it should be safe to bring them back.
Earmites are very common in ferrets.  Again, do not use any over the counter medicines.  We suggest Tresaderm or an Ivermectin solution, both available only from a vet.  Do NOT use Oterna ear mite drops, they will destroy the ear tissue.

Giving Medicines
Giving medicines to a sick ferret can at times be quite a challenge.  When giving a pill form, the easiest way is to open the ferrets mouth, pop the pill in the back of the throat, close the ferrets mouth, and massage the throat to encourage swallowing.  The other way is to disguise it in food or treats.  When giving a liquid form, a 1cc syringe without a needle is probably the easiest way.  At first, let the ferret taste it, once in a rare while they may actually like it.  If this is not the case, scruff the ferret, and slowly release the syringe in the side of the mouth.  In cases where the ferret absolutely detests the taste, wrap the ferret securely in a towel, scruff, and release the syringe slowly in the side of the mouth.  Try to follow this with a treat, to get the taste of the medicine out of the ferret’s mouth.  If a subcutaneous medicine (giving a shot) is required, the easiest way is to scruff the ferret, and shoot the medicine into the scruff.  If you use a brand new needle, not one that has drawn medicine out of a rubber stopper, it will go in much much easier.

Basic Treatments
Following are some over the counter remedies you can use to help a sick or ailing ferret, just remember, there is no substitute for veterinary care.

Triaminic - for colds, give .2ccs once or twice daily, or as directed by a vet.
Childrens Robitussin - for colds, give .25 ccs once or twice daily or as directed by a vet.
Childrens Benadryl - for allergies and allergic reactions, give .25ccs once daily or as directed by a vet.
Pepto Bismol - for upset stomachs, give .25 ccs twice daily, or as directed by a vet.
Pepcid A/C - for upset stomachs, make up solution by grinding up 1 10mg pill and mixing with 10ccs of water, mix very well, give .25 ccs once or twice daily or as directed by a vet.
Aspirin - give only in extreme cases, and under the supervision of a vet, can cause gastric bleeding and other problems, if directed, give 1/4 tablet of baby aspirin once daily.
 Do not under any circumstances ever give Tylenol or Ibuprofen, they are toxic to ferrets.  Any other over the counter remedies, please check with your veterinarian first.

Poisons
Many plants are toxic to ferrets, so are rat poisons, human medications, antifreeze, and some bug sprays.  If you suspect your ferret has been posioned, get him to a vet immediately.  There are two animal poison control numbers, they are not free, but they may help save your ferrets life.  The numbers are:
1-900-680-0000 ($20 for the first minute, $2.95 for each additional minute) or 1-800-548-2423 ($30 flat fee from a credit card)

Blockages
Ferrets love to chew on just about anything, and as a result, can develop lifethreatening blockages very quickly.  Hairballs can also cause blockages, that if left untreated, can be fatal.  Symptoms of a blockage include pawing at the mouth, vomiting, intemittent appetitie, black tarry stools that come and go, and just generallly wasting away.  Prevention is giving Laxatone, Petromalt, or just straight Vaseline once a week.  Treatment is usually immediate surgery to remove the object.

Duck Soup
Duck soup was named after the ferret it was originally invented for, to help keep the ferret eating.  Occasionally, if you have a sick or recovering ferret, they will not be interested in regular food.  There is no set recipie for duck soup, each batch is made up for the individual ferrets preferences.  A basic recipie could be: Regular or canned Ferret food, Vanilla Sustacal or Ensure, Brewers Yeast, Pet Tinic, Kitten Milk Replacer, and Nutrical or Ferretvite.  Mix the solution well and puree in a blender.  If the ferret does not like the taste, try different amounts of the ingredients, or feed with a feeding syringe.

Please remember that there is no substitute for veterinary care, if you experience anything out of the ordinary, please see a veterinarian.  This pamphlet in no way covers all medical aspects of ferret care, if you have any more questions, please contact your vet, your local shelter operator, or the contact information below.

This pamphlet was created by Shelley Knudsen
Legion of Superferrets of Nebraska Ferret Shelter
P.O. Box 762, Hastings, NE 68902
402-463-0190 or 402-461-6541
ferrets@tcgcs.com   http://www.tcgcs.com/~ferrets

Or contact Chris Nielson or Lia Hoevet
Ferret Fanciers of Omaha Ferret Club
402-731-1264    snackpack@home.com

For extensive internet information, please check out:
http://www.ferretcentral.com