Medical conditions of a ferret

Like any animal, ferrets are not immune to disease and sickness, but there are two medical conditions that require special attention in a ferret: they are extremely vulnerable to canine distemper and their coming into heat can be dangerous.

Bacterial Infections:
Bacteria can produce a variety of diseases in ferrets - botulism, tuberculosis, dysentery and abscesses and infections caused by bite wounds and other injuries. Use of antibiotics is usually sufficient for treatment of most of these conditions.

Canine Distemper:
The initial signs of the distemper appear 7-10 days after exposure to the virus and include a thick mucus and pus-laden discharge from the eyes and nostrils. A rash will usually appear under the chin and in the groin area and the foot pads become thickened.

There is no effective treatment for canine distemper in ferrets and they will die 3-4 weeks after exposure. Preventative vaccinations must be given at 6-8 weeks of age. Booster vaccinations are needed 2-3 weeks later. After that, it’s yearly boosters.

Canine Hepatitis:
There is no indication that ferrets are susceptible to canine hepatitis.

Canine Parvo-Virus:
There is no definite evidence that ferrets are susceptible to this condition, so vaccination against the diseases is probably not necessary.

Cardiomyopathy:
A condition of the heart muscle seen in dogs, cats and ferrets where the muscle walls of the heart becomes thickened, reducing the ability of the heart to pump adequate quantities of blood to the rest of the body. Signs include inappetence (failure to eat, or to not eat enough), fatigue, increased periods of sleep, intolerance to exercise, fainting and shortness of breath. The cause for this condition is unknown. All ferrets older than 3 years should have a chest x-ray to screen for this disease.

Cataracts:
These are fairly common in pet ferrets (young and old), but their significance and genetic predisposition are not fully understood.

Feline Distemper:
Some say that ferrets do not get feline distemper, but if your pet is to have prolonged contact with cats then it;s suggested they be vaccinated. The vaccine cannot harm the animal and the decision to vaccinate or not is yours. Most veterinarians give a combination canine distemper-feline distemper vaccine.

Feline Leukemia Virus:
There is a possibility that ferrets may become infected with feline leukemia virus, but there is no solid evidence of this. Cancer can be one possible result of an infection, but researchers believe that leukemia and related diseases in ferrets may be caused by a virus or viruses specific to ferrets.

Heartworm Disease:
Heartworm is an illness transmitted by mosquitoes and seen mostly in dogs. You must carefully consider the pros and cons of preventive therapy for this disease as some ferrets may have adverse reactions to the drug used for Heartworm prevention.

Heat Periods:
The breeding season for female ferrets is March through August and they can come into heat more than once during that period. Swelling of the external genitalia indicates the beginning of your ferret’s heat period. If the female in heat does not engage in copulation, she will remain in heat for up to 160 days. If she is bred, the swelling of the external genitalia usually regresses to normal within 2-3 weeks after copulation.

Continued sexual heat is dangerous and life-threatening because it usually results in bone marrow suppression. This causes severe anaemia and decreases in the number of circulating white blood cells. Any female ferret not intended for breeding should be spayed at 6-8 months of age.

Heat Stroke:
Lacking sweat glands, ferrets have a problem maintaining normal body temperature in extremely warm temperatures. On days where the temperature goes beyond 90 degrees F, providing ample shade and spraying your ferret will help reduce the likelihood of heat stroke.

Influenza:
Interesting enough, ferrets are subject to infection with several strains of human influenza virus. Signs of this illness may mimic those of canine distemper - listlessness, fever, nasal discharge, inappetence (reduction in eating habits) and sneezing. Influenza usually passes in 5 days with no after effects. Treatment with a specific anti-influenza drug may be recommended.

Parasitism:
Most of the external parasites of domestic dogs and cats (fleas, mange mites, ear mites, etc.) can cause disease in ferrets. Periodic fecal examinations should be performed by a veterinarian to check for such parasites. Appropriate treatment can then be given, if needed.

Rabies:
Ferrets are susceptible to rabies and can transmit the virus, but it is rare compared to dogs and cats. Infected ferrets are believed to carry ‘dumb’ rabies and die very quickly after exposure, so the risk of spreading it is very small. Researchers are in the early stages of exploring the possibility that ferrets pass the rabies virus through their saliva. A rabies vaccine is now available for use in ferrets, so be safe and have it done.

Ringworm:
This is a fungal disease of the skin similar to athlete's foot. It has been reported in young ferrets and may be transmitted by infected cats. Products intended for use with cats are usually safe for a ferret.

Urinary Stones:
Urinary stones within the kidneys, or urinary bladder, can be serious. Signs include blood in the urine, inability to urinate, a swollen and painful abdomen, vomiting, listlessness and inappetance (when they don’t eat, or don’t’ enough as much as they need). Surgery is usually necessary to correct the problem. A special diet may eliminate certain types of stones, or prevent recurrence.

Whenever your pet is not acting, or eating, as they normally do then it is suggested that you seek proper advice from a veterinarian.