Handling Viruses, Infections, and Other Conditions and Illnesses

In This Chapter

•  Addressing many common ferret diseases and conditions
•  Finding out what you can do to diagnose and treat your ferret

No matter how hard people try to stay healthy with good eating, exercise, and proper immunizations, millions of humans manage to get the worst viruses, respiratory infections, and flu every year. Your fuzzy is no different.

Experts have written entire books on the diseases and illnesses ferrets can contract. This isn’t one of them. In this chapter, you simply get the basics on what you need to know about common ferret diseases and what you can do about them. This chapter deals with the most common diseases and conditions, in alphabetical order, from the simple (flu) to the deadly (rabies) and from the serious (cardiomyopathy) to the not-so-serious (eye problems). As I make clear throughout this book, recognizing changes in your ferret’s appearance and behavior early on can mean the difference between life and death. Even some of the presumably innocent conditions I describe in this chapter can take a turn for the worst or can be indicative of another more serious condition.

Remember

A handful of signs seem to show up with almost all fuzzy ailments, which is just one more reason to leave the diagnosing and medicating to your experienced vet. Your ferret may be suffering from more than one malady. Also, you need to be aware that signs aren’t set in stone. Your ferret may exhibit one sign or a combination of several. She may show none at all, especially in the beginning stages of an illness. The signs I list in this chapter are the most common ones for each illness and are here for reference purposes only. Don’t wait until more signs appear before hauling your fuzzbutt to the vet.

Gastrointestinal (GI) Diseases

Gastrointestinal diseases refer to all those things that can go wrong with the stomach, intestines, or esophagus. The next few sections cover those GL ailments that can affect ferrets, and what you can do if you spot the symptoms involved.

Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE)

Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) is an inflammation of the intestinal lining. In addition to the intestinal damage, as the disease progresses, the ferret’s liver can be seriously affected, and the results can be deadly! Ferrets with ECE can’t absorb food and water properly, causing life-threatening diarrhea. The disease is transmitted when a ferret comes in contact with the bodily fluids or feces of a sick ferret or via handlers of ill ferrets. Experts have strong evidence that a coronavirus causes ECE.

The fuzzies most at risk are older carpet sharks and very young ferrets. Ferrets that are already battling other illnesses, such as lymphosarcoma, adrenal disease, and/or insulinoma (see Chapter Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps), also are at high risk. Healthy young and middle-aged furkids seem to get over ECE the fastest with the right support, almost as if the condition were the flu. In multi-ferret homes, you can expect most, if not all, of your fuzzies to get this disease within 48 to 72 hours after it enters the door. Baby ferrets bought from pet stores are frequent asymptomatic carriers of ECE, which means they can show no signs of having the condition. ECE also can enter your home on your clothes after you’ve handled a ferret with ECE.

This nasty disease can last anywhere from several days to several months. Watch your ferret closely and get her to a vet the moment the signs become apparent. ECE is typically diagnosed by its characteristic timeline and clinical signs.

Prevention

ECE is an extremely contagious disease that spreads from ferret to ferret very quickly. To safeguard your ferret, you need to clean, clean, clean. Follow these tips:

• Don’t let other people handle your ferret without taking precautions.
• Wash thoroughly before and after you handle any ferrets.
• Change clothing before handling your own little one after visiting with strange ferrets.
• Make sure all new ferrets you get have been checked by the vet for parasites and given an overall clean bill of health before exposing them to others.

Remember

Quarantining newcomers for ECE is a bit unrealistic because any ferret can carry the disease for months and months. If she comes in with it, your other ferrets will be exposed. That’s the bottom line. Quarantining in this case only gives you a false sense of security.

Clinical signs

Some typical signs of ECE include the following:

• Diarrhea that’s initially bright green to yellow and full of mucous; it may be bubbly, foul-smelling, or slimy, and it may or may not be projectile diarrhea
• Seedy poop, often yellowish in color (indicating undigested food)
• Dehydration, often severe (see Chapter Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics on dehydration)
• Lethargy and sleepiness
• Extreme weight loss (up to 50 percent in severe cases)
• Vomiting
• Squinted, watery eyes (which is a sign of pain)
• Oral and stomach ulcers
• Coma

Treatment

We have no cure for ECE as of press time. Also, no vaccine is currently available to protect against ECE, although experts are working diligently to develop one. And because ECE is probably viral, no medication can effectively combat it directly. However, some medications can be useful to manage some of the secondary effects of the disease, such as intestinal ulcers and intestinal pain. In addition, secondary bacterial infections may occur in an already weakened animal, and these too require treatment.

Some medications that have been successful (possibly in certain combinations) in treating secondary infections that occur along with ECE are

• Amforol
• Amoxicillin
• Clavamox drops
• Cefa drops
• Baytril

Over-the-counter anti-cramping medications and tummy coaters have been used in the past for treatment, but they aren’t necessary and may cause more harm than good. Cimetidine may be used to prevent ulcers and excretion of excess stomach acid. Some veterinarians use an oral antiviral called “alpha interferon” with mixed results.

Remember

Treatments vary by degree of illness and should be administered only under the guidance of your veterinarian. Not all medications work for every ferret. Your vet may find, through trial and error, the perfect medication to get your fuzzy through her ordeal. Every case needs to be evaluated on an individual basis. Please note that treatments of ferrets evolve over time as new medications are developed and new knowledge of diseases is gained. Your vet should be aware of current treatment protocols as they become available.

In healthier or younger ferrets, the disease should be treated like the flu unless signs become severe. The treatment, in addition to the secondary medications, is more complicated for other ferrets. An affected ferret will die of dehydration more quickly than she will starve to death, so keeping her hydrated is the most important part of supportive care. You must combat serious bouts of dehydration with subcutaneous fluids and/or electrolyte replacers, such as Pedialyte or Gatorade. Of course, you must pay attention to feeding your ailing fuzzy, too. The following bullets point out the care procedures:

• Your vet should show you how to administer subcutaneous fluids. It takes 20 CCs or 4 teaspoons of fluids per pound of body weight three times a day to keep a healthy ferret alive. A dehydrated ferret needs more than that to stay alive. Your vet should determine how much subcutaneous fluids to administer and when to administer them. It’s important to strictly use your vet as your guide, because it’s possible to over hydrate or drown your ferret in fluids!
• Supplemental feedings with Assist Feed Recipe (see Chapter Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics) three to four times a day has proven very helpful in supportive care. Assisted feeding is critical if your ferret isn’t eating on her own. It also plays a role in reversing fatty liver disease, which is often the result of severe bouts of ECE. Additionally, assist feeding ensures that your ferret gets enough nutrition and helps keep her hydrated.

When your ferret is back on her paws again, be aware that her intestinal lining will be abnormal for some time, even after the signs seem to go away. She may suffer from periodic bouts of diarrhea and dehydration. Monitor your recovering fuzzy closely and for several months. Long-term damage to the lining of the intestinal tract may mean abnormal stools on and off for quite some time.

Tip

Oral fluids are equally important to a recovering ferret, so you can try to give water via spoon or syringe if your ferret isn’t drinking from a bowl. The Assist Feed Recipe also will provide some oral fluids.

Intestinal and stomach blockages

The leading causes of death in ferrets under 2 years old are intestinal and stomach obstructions. Young ferrets mouth and taste everything from fingers to foam rubber. But older fuzzies aren’t immune to this affliction. Blockages can occur when your overzealous carpet shark eats something that’s too big to pass on through his system. Hairballs frequently cause clogs in ferrets (see the later “Hairballs” section). No matter the cause, if the ferret’s body can’t push the blockage out the other end, everything in her system backs up.

Blockages can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, from the throat to the stomach to the small intestine. Stomach blockages may move around, causing signs to appear and subside. A clog in the belly can last a long time and cause a slow wasting away. If it’s a hairball, the mass slowly grows.

Signs

Here are some signs that your fuzzy may be blocked up:

• Constipation
• Tiny poop (looks like string cheese) or black, tarry poop
• Bloating
• Painful belly
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight
• Vomiting
• Mouth pawing
• Severe dehydration
• Teeth grinding
• Face rubbing
• Lethargy
• Coma
• Seizuring (occurs after the blockage is complete and has been there 24 hrs or longer)

Diagnosis and treatment

Attempting a diagnosis by feeling around the ferret’s belly isn’t fail-proof. Sometimes, large tumors cause similar signs and feel like an obstruction. Often, your vet will confirm your suspicions with an X-ray.

If you suspect that your fuzzy ate something she shouldn’t have and it isn’t life threatening, you can start giving her Laxatone a couple times a day. Watch for foreign objects in anything that comes out the other end (if anything poops out).

Tip

Poop mixed with water makes identifying foreign bodies quite a bit easier. You can put some poop in a small sandwich bag, add a little water, and squish away!

Warning!

Keep in mind that it often takes more than Laxatone to fix a blockage problem. If you don’t see the object coming out, get straight to the vet. Left untreated, a stopped-up fuzzy can die an agonizing death. Don’t wait until the last minute to go to the veterinarian.

Exploratory surgery may be necessary to cure the ailment. After the blockage moves into the small intestine, surgery is imperative, or else a painful death can occur within a day or two. Vets recommend a soft diet for several days following the surgery (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly for tips on changing your ferret’s diet).

Warning!

Because dehydration from failure to eat and drink is a serious problem, administering oral or subcutaneous fluids every few hours is imperative.

Tip

If you think pumpkin-pie filler is just for Halloween, think again. This stuff is a great way to flush out your ferret’s intestinal tract. If you think your ferret could have a blockage, offer her this tasty treat — as much as she wants. Most ferrets love it! Hopefully, it will flush out any foreign bodies. Word of caution: This doesn’t work if the ferret’s GI tract is completely blocked. If you think this is the case, contact your vet immediately.

Helicobacter Mustelae (H. mustelae) Infection

Helicobacter mustelae (H. mustelae) is a bacterium that resides in the stomachs of most ferrets. Although your ferret may harbor it after ingesting contaminated poop, she likely got it from mom, because it passes from mom to kit via exposure to the mom’s poop. Unfortunately, this bacterium can be serious and cause disease.

Of course, H. mustelae may reside in your ferret’s stomach for a lifetime without causing any disease. What makes the bug go from benign to gravely destructive isn’t clear. What is clear is that serious bouts of H. Mustelae infection may result in gastric problems, such as chronic atrophic gastritis. Some ferret experts believe that this little bug can be serious enough to cause gastric ulcers — a theory that has mounting evidence to support it. In fact, almost all fuzzy ulcer patients are infected with H. mustelae. Most ferrets adversely affected by H. mustelae are over the age of 4.

Jargon Alert

Atrophic gastritis is a chronic inflammation of the stomach lining, which leads to loss in function of many of the cells and the replacement of scar tissue. As a result, the stomach’s ability to produce stomach acid is impaired, leading to severe digestive problems.

The presence of the infection causes an inflammation of the stomach lining. By attaching to the cells responsible for producing the protective mucosal lining of the stomach, the bacterium hinders the body’s ability to produce mucous. This makes the stomach vulnerable to strong stomach acid, and the result can be burns or ulcers. H. mustelae infection also increases the pH of the stomach and impairs the stomach’s ability to produce stomach acid; the latter is needed to digest food.

Here are the signs of an infection:

• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Loose stools
• Excessive salivating
• Dark, tarry stools
• Lethargy
• Teeth grinding
• Painful belly
• Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes
• Weight loss

It seems as though a ferret’s own system can control this bacterial invasion under normal circumstances. Unless your fuzzy becomes extremely stressed out or is already weakened by disease or illness, the signs may not appear at all. The relationship between stress, disease, and illness, however, hasn’t been proven to cause the bacterial rebellion. It’s currently recommended that you treat only those ferrets that show signs of H. mustelae infection. After the signs appear, your ferret should be treated by a veterinarian immediately. Medication combinations that have been successful include Amoxicillin, Flagyl, and Pepto-Bismol for 4 to 6 weeks, or Biaxin in combination with Amoxicillin for 2 to 3 weeks. These are just two of the current treatments out there. Other treatments are available, and there will undoubtedly be new and improved treatments in the future.

Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis most commonly presents as a disease of the intestinal tract. However, it can involve other organs such as the liver, abdominal lymph nodes, pancreas, or skin. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that are released when some types of foreign invaders enter the body. These cells release a substance called histamine in their attempt to do battle, but unfortunately in large amounts histamine can instead start attacking the tissue around it. Histamines, by the way, are the same substances that cause your skin to swell after a bee sting. In the intestine they cause damage to intestinal lining. When the intestinal lining isn’t functioning normally it can’t absorb nutrients or water properly, resulting in diarrhea and weight loss. The foreign invaders that cause eosinophilic gastroenteritis are unknown at this time. Some veterinarians believe a food allergy is involved, but this hasn’t been as yet substantiated. These vets may suggest a more natural diet may prevent eosinophilic gastroenteritis or help heal a ferret with the disease. Again, there is yet no scientific, only anecdotal findings.

Signs of eosinophilic gastroenteritis

The following list presents the common signs of eosinophilic gastroenteritis:

• Severe diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Swollen ears and feet (in severe cases)
• Skin ulcerations (in severe cases)
• Abdominal pain (in severe cases)

Diagnosis and prognosis

Your vet can begin to make a diagnosis after reviewing the gastrointestinal signs I list in the previous section. Next comes a complete blood-cell count, which almost always shows a dramatic increase in eosinophils. The predominant signs coupled with the blood test should be almost conclusive. Definitive diagnosis, however, can be made by taking biopsies of the affected tissues — including intestinal or stomach tissue and the lymph nodes around the intestines. These areas often include large numbers of eosinophils in cases of eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

The prognosis should be good if you catch the disease early. With early diagnosis, medication and diet can work their magic and heal your fuzzy. Managing the signs and preventing future damage is your number-one priority. Unfortunately, too many ferrets are diagnosed with eosinophilic gastroenteritis when tissue damage is already profound. In these cases, prognosis is guarded to poor.

Treatment

Because the exact cause of eosinophilic gastroenteritis remains unknown, we have no cure for the condition. Treatment is geared toward managing the current signs and preventing further damage to the tissues. A maintenance dose of a corticosteroid, such as prednisone, may be a lifelong necessity to prevent a relapse and further damage. Corticosteroids suppress inflammation and prevent large groups of eosinophils from forming; they also prevent them from breaking down as easily, thus blocking further tissue damage.

Remember

A diet change is a must for ferrets with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, because it’s suspected that food allergens may be culprits in this disease. If your ferret will eat mice or raw meat, a natural diet is the best choice in my book. (Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly has the full scoop on dietary options and changing your fuzzy’s diet.) If not, you can start off by feeding your fuzzy turkey baby food in the beginning and graduate to Hills z/d diet, which you can get from your vet. Some vets even go so far as to say that the switch to a “hypoallergenic” diet can successfully wean a ferret off of corticosteroids. Vets recommend a food without any grains, such as Wysong’s Archetype freeze-dried diet.

Megaesophagus

Megaesophagus is a relatively uncommon disease in ferrets. It’s the result of the absence of or the decrease in the ability of the esophageal muscles (located in the throat and torso) to move food into the stomach. This break-down in the muscles’ ability can be a problem all its own, often with unknown causes, or it can be the result of an obstruction or damage to the nerves supplying the esophageal muscles.

The result of this loss of motility is that the esophagus swells as it fills with food and/or liquid. Some of the food may flow back up and out of the mouth, mimicking vomiting; some food may enter the ferret’s stomach, making a sound much like water going down a drain. It isn’t unusual to hear gurgling or notice that your ferret’s breathing is impaired. Aspiration pneumonia, the result of inhaling food, also is a dangerous problem that these little ones face.

Your vet can make a diagnosis by using a barium swallow and X-ray, an endoscopy, a fluoroscopy, or clinical observation. There is no cure for this disease. The prognosis is guarded and depends a great deal on controlling the signs and meeting the nutritional needs of the ferret. You need to show a lot of care and dedication, because significant weight loss and dehydration are common with megaesophagus.

Your vet will use many different meds when dealing with megaesophagus, depending on which signs you’re treating. You’ll probably have to hand feed your ferret small, liquid meals three to five times a day for the remainder of your ferret’s life. In the beginning, however, your ferret needs five to six meals a day to get her back on her feet. You can use the Ferret Feeding Formula (FFF), which I describe in Chapter Helping Your Hurt Ferret: First-Aid Basics. You want to start off with a soupy mixture and feed 10 to 15 CCs per feeding, using a syringe!

Remember

Although a soupy mixture is needed, it can increase the danger of aspiration. You need to take great care during feeding. Keep your ferret’s head in an elevated position and in line with its neck. Use a syringe to gently feed the soupy mix to the ferret. A little choking is common. If the choking continues or regurgitation occurs, allow your ferret to bring her head down to assist in bringing the food back up. Let her rest 20 to 30 minutes before trying to feed her again.

Tip

Some people suggest that you massage your ferret’s throat and chest to stimulate swallowing. However, this practice can lead to regurgitation and aspiration. Holding your ferret in the upright position with her head at a 45-degree angle to the floor during feeding, and for 15 minutes or so after feeding, will help gravity take over and facilitate the flow of food into the stomach.

Warning!

Never use a water bowl for a ferret with megaesophagus, because her head position with the bowl can cause choking. You need to hang a water bottle high in her cage so that she has to stretch her neck up to reach for the water. This will minimize the risk of choking.

Dental Problems

Many things can go wrong with an animal’s teeth. No toothy critter can hide from this fact — not even ferrets. Some fuzzy dental problems probably are genetic. Others can result from overuse and misuse of the chompers. Diet and physical health also may play a major role in the destruction of a ferret’s teeth. Do your part and make sure your ferret gets a dental checkup during her routine exams at the vet’s office (see Figure 16-1). The following sections look at some problems that can occur in your fuzzy’s mouth.

Faulty teeth

If you spend enough time with your fuzzy, you’ll see her rough and tumble pretty hard with other fuzzies and her imaginary fuzzmates. She’ll fall and crash into things. When she’s cage crazy, she may gnaw frantically at the cage bars until someone rescues her. Plus, most ferrets are fed a hard kibble diet, too (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly). Because of these things, fuzzy teeth endure a lot of wear and tear and abuse. For other fuzzies, teeth issues may be something they were born with. The following sections look at wear and tear and born problems.

Jargon Alert

To help you get through the dental reading and your life as a fuzzy owner, here are a few terms that you need to be familiar with:

• Plaque is a clear “biofilm” that’s made up of cellular debris, oral secretions, plenty of bacteria, and some white blood cells. It adheres to the teeth rather quickly and stays there until it’s removed.
• Tartar and dental calculus are interchangeable words and result when minerals are added to the plaque, causing the plaque to harden. All tartar comes from plaque, but not all plaque mineralizes into tartar.

Tartar is a hard material that starts to build up on the teeth at the gum line. It also adheres to the teeth and stays there until removal.

• In the presence of plaque or plaque and tartar, gingivitis can occur. This is an infection of the gums, or gingiva, caused by bacteria — usually those found in the plaque biofilm. Gingivitis is marked by red, inflamed gums.
• Periodontal disease often is next to come and is marked by recession of the gum lines and actual bone loss. This is the stage where teeth lose their support, become loose, and fall out. Damage from periodontal disease is permanent, so you need to provide care to prevent the condition. (For more on this condition, see the following section.)

Wear and tear

Chipped, broken, and worn teeth aren’t necessarily things to gnash your teeth over, unless you notice an obvious problem. But always let an experienced vet make that decision for you if you have any doubt. A vet can smooth out a chipped tooth if the surface is rough and irritating the inside of your ferret’s lip. Breaks can be a little more serious. Exposed tooth pulp is painful and can lead to infections. Usually, a root canal or complete removal is warranted.

Warning!

A chipped tooth may hide a more serious problem, such as a hidden crack leading into the pulp chamber of the tooth. The crack can result in a tooth infection that can spread to other teeth. Even worse, the infection can spread into the body and various vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver. All chipped teeth should be checked by a vet; you can probably wait until her yearly physical, as long as you see no changes (such as discoloration, smell, or drainage). Note: All chipped teeth are at risk of future fractures and need to be watched.

Worn teeth are facts of life and will worsen as your ferret ages. Chewing hard kibble into manageable sizes for swallowing may be more difficult, so older fuzzies with worn teeth may need a softer diet (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly for more on switching a ferret’s diet).

Growing issues

Your ferret may end up looking more like a Bulldog than a fuzzy weasel. Some poor furkids have teeth that protrude outward — usually, the canines are the culprits. Because these teeth prevent the lip flap from resting against the gums, the ferret’s gums may become dry. And the inside of the lip gets irritated from the constant rubbing of the teeth. I’ve only had this situation happen to one ferret, and the offending teeth were the two lower canines. The problem was fixed by surgically clipping the teeth as far down as necessary and filling them with a safe, hardening substance (acrylic is commonly used).

If a ferret’s tooth is severely deformed, completely removing it may be necessary. However, in small animals like ferrets, each tooth is an important part of the strength of the jawbone. Pulling teeth can compromise the jaw by removing a part of the load-bearing strength, along with the subsequent loss of bone that naturally occurs after the loss of a tooth. Therefore, this should be a last resort.

Some furkids actually grow extra baby teeth. Albino kids are notorious for this condition. Usually, all baby teeth are pushed right out when the adult teeth come in. Other times, they linger for several days before finally being squeezed out. If you notice a baby tooth that overstays its welcome, you probably should have your vet uproot it to prevent problems down the road. Note: Some adult ferrets have an extra incisor tooth (called a supernumery tooth); this condition is harmless.

Technical Stuff

Says ferret expert Bob Church: “About 5 percent (2 to 9 percent) of ferrets have an extra incisor tooth, and maybe 1 out of 100 of those have two extra teeth. A fewer number of ferrets don’t grow all their teeth — usually a front premolar or the bottom tiny mandibular molar. On rare occasions, a ferret will have a tiny extra molar in the roof of her mouth. All these conditions are benign.”

The dreaded dental disease

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, occurs with great frequency in ferrets — especially ones that are over 5 years old. Come to think of it, it happens in humans even more frequently. Humans are poor tooth brushers; and if we can’t take care of our own teeth, we probably won’t spend a lot of time on our pets’ teeth.

The main cause of periodontal disease is the lack of a natural diet (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly). Hair, bone, and other particles from a natural diet are extremely effective at massaging the gums and wiping away plaque and tartar. Other diseases, such as lymphoma, also can play a role in periodontal disease. Experts agree that you can greatly reduce the severity of the disease with daily tooth brushing and with more extensive cleanings performed by an experienced vet, as often as needed.

Dealing with dental dominoes
Friend and ferret expert Bob Church has this to say about dental issues: “All visible dental damage is considered more or less permanent because the ability of the tooth to repair enamel is extremely limited. Thus, dental damage is accumulative over time. Every tooth injury adds to the last one and helps set up the next one. For	example, eating kibble wears flat spots on the tooth, which increases the risk of platform fractures (slab fractures) and changes the dental tartar accumulation patterns — both of which help increase gingivitis and periodontal disease, which leads to infections and major tooth loss. I call the disease risk factors ‘Dental Dominos.’”

Warning!

Unqualified people shouldn’t scrape a ferret’s teeth because they can cause scratches on the teeth that make tartar worse. Vets scrape the teeth free of the tartar and then polish them, making the scratches less of a problem.

The signs of periodontal disease include

• Loose teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Stinky breath
• Red, inflamed, or receding gums
• Drooling
• Mouth ulcers
• Difficulty eating
• Tartar and plaque buildup
• Refusal to floss (okay, just kidding)

Warning!

At the very least, you should add dental checkups to your weekly or monthly grooming habits. In addition to checking for lumps, bumps, bruises, and other abnormalities, stick your head in your fuzzy’s mouth and look for dental problems. For more on general care and grooming habits, head to Chapter Cleaning Time: Not All Ferret Fun and Games.

Warning!

Gum disease and ulcers of the mouth are serious problems by themselves. But did you know they can also be caused by renal disease, especially in ferrets five years and older? Renal disease can be diagnosed with blood tests and a urinalysis.

Technical Stuff

In addition to the lack of proper texture in a traditional diet, which provides gentle abrasiveness, eating fine particles of carbohydrates and changes in the oral pH contribute to periodontal disease. My answer to combating periodontal disease is to opt for the evolutionary or alternative diet, which offers various food items with varying degrees of texture. (See Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly for details about the diet.)

Heart Disease

Sadly, heart disease is a rather common problem in middle-aged and older ferrets. The most common type of heart disease seen in ferrets is dilated cardiomyopathy. We focus on these topics in the sections that follow, explaining the signs, diagnosis, and treatment phases of the diseases (and prevention when applicable). (Ferrets also can also suffer from hypertrophic cardiomy-opathy and from heart valve disease.)

Remember

The ultimate means of establishing a diagnosis of heart disease is an ultra-sound of the heart. An ultrasound is the only way to determine the actual cause of the heart problems:

• If the heart walls are stretched and thin, a doctor can diagnose dilated cardiomyopathy.
• If the heart walls are much thicker and bigger than normal, the doctor can diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
• If the heart valves are thicker than normal and not working well, the doctor can diagnose valvular heart disease.
• If heartworms are seen in the heart, the doctor can diagnose heartworm disease.

Because the treatment for these four problems is different, a cardiac ultra-sound is necessary to make the correct diagnosis and to select the correct treatment plan for your fuzzy with heart disease.

Dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy is most common in ferrets over the age of 3. It’s a form of heart disease that causes damage to the heart muscle. Eventually, during the course of the disease, the heart stretches, enlarges, and weakens. Some of the heart muscle is replaced by scar tissue, making it impossible for the heart to contract normally. Inevitably, the blood flowing out of the heart decreases, and the heart becomes less efficient.

The exact cause of dilated cardiomyopathy is unknown at this time. Possible causes include viral infections and nutritional problems, such as deficiencies of taurine, l-carnitine, l-arginine, or perhaps even a deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 in the diet. The relationship of a taurine deficiency causing dilated cardiomyopathy has already been proven in cats. Unlike cats, however, ferrets don’t improve when extra taurine is added to their diets.

How long your big-hearted fuzzy will live with dilated cardiomyopathy really depends on how fast her heart is deteriorating. If your ferret is diagnosed early, and you and your vet manage the signs properly, she may live for 2 or 3 more years.

Signs

Following are the signs of the dilated cardiomyopathy form of heart disease:

• Labored breathing
• Coughing
• Pale or bluish gum coloring
• Decreased or no appetite
• Heart murmur
• Lethargy
• Frequent rests during play
• Muffled heart sounds
• Hypothermia (low body temperature)
• Fluid buildup in the chest and abdominal areas

Ferrets with cardiomyopathy often have enlarged livers or spleens, as well. Frequently, a suffering fuzzy has a swollen belly. In this case, she probably has congestive heart failure, and the swollen belly results from a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. The ferret likely also has fluid accumulating in her chest and lungs.

Diagnosis

Heart disease usually begins long before the diagnosis is made; however, a diagnosis also can be made before the onset of the signs. X-rays can be taken to look at the size and shape of the heart. Dilated cardiomyopathy heart disease causes the heart to be bigger and rounder than normal. An EKG can check for abnormal rhythms and conduction disturbances. And, of course, the best diagnosis method is an ultrasound, which I discuss earlier in this section.

Treatment

Dilated cardiomyopathy generally is irreversible and has no cure. Treatment is designed to control the disease and slow down its progression. You can manage dilated cardiomyopathy with medication. The medications that vets commonly prescribe are

• An ACE inhibitor — such as benazepril or enalapril
• A diuretic — such as furosemide
• A muscle contraction strengthener — such as digoxin or pimobendan

Only your vet and/or vet cardiologist can determine which medications and what dosages should work for your ferret.

Heartworms

Heartworm disease is a parasitic roundworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infestation that attacks the heart. Where many mosquitoes buzz around, vets and ferret owners will see plenty of cases of heartworm. Ferrets are just as susceptible to this deadly disease as cats and dogs. In fact, many carnivores are. Even if your ferret doesn’t go outside, mosquitoes can come inside.

Infected mosquitoes inject the larva into the ferret’s bloodstream with a single piercing bite. The deadly parasite then develops and migrates to the fuzzy’s heart, where the adult worms wreak cardiac havoc. It only takes a single worm to produce devastating results.

Signs

Signs of heartworm disease include the following:

• Coughing or hacking
• Lethargy
• Fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen
• Labored breathing
• Pale lips, gums, and tongue
• Hypothermia (low body temperature)
• Heart murmur
• Muffled heart sounds
• Green color to the urine

Prevention

The best course of action against heartworm is prevention. Fortunately, you can acquire several effective options to prevent your ferret from getting heartworm:

• Heartgard: You can use Heartgard for cats or 1/4 of the Heartgard for small dogs once a month. Be aware: Most fuzzies don’t like the stuff!

Tip

Merial, the maker of Heartgard, advises against splitting the pills or chewables. The company states that the effective ingredient (ivermectin) isn’t evenly distributed throughout the pills or chewables, so you don’t know for sure if your fuzzy is really getting an effective dose. Ferrets can handle large dosages of ivermectin. A whole feline chewable Heartgard has less ivermectin in it than a dose a fuzzy would receive for treatment of ear mites.

• Ivermectin: Some vets prefer giving ferrets liquid ivermectin orally (or through injection) on a monthly basis.
• Interceptor: These tablets are small and easy to crush, and you can mix them into some baby food or Ferretone. Interceptor tablets need to be given once a month.
• Revolution: This medicine for cats is a liquid that you apply directly to the skin on the neck or above the shoulders (you do this monthly). In addition to heartworm prevention, Revolution kills fleas, ticks, and ear mites.

Warning!

Most vets prescribe the kitten dose of Revolution for a ferret when protecting her from fleas and ticks. This makes sense considering how little ferrets weigh! Some vet cardiologists, though, have suggested that this dose isn’t strong enough to protect a ferret against heartworms; they say that the cat dose is the effective dose against heartworms. This may seem quite high, because cats can weigh so much more than ferrets, and you don’t want to risk the life of your beloved pet! Therefore, always discuss this subject with your vet to make sure your ferret is kept healthy and adequately protected.

• Advantage Multi: This product is new to the U.S. market. The two main ingredients are imidacloprid (Advantage) and moxidectin. Like Revolution, it’s a monthly topical applied directly to the skin on the neck or above the shoulders. In addition to heartworm prevention, Advantage Multi kills fleas, ear mites, and intestinal worms. The kitten size (2 to 5 pounds) is the size recommended for ferret use.

Remember

Before beginning a heartworm preventative, your ferret should test negative for heartworms, if possible. Fuzzies can be tested with the same in-clinic test that dogs get. Another detection method is a cardiac ultrasound, but it takes an experienced ultrasounder to visualize the heartworms in the ferret’s heart.

Warning!

None of these preventatives are approved for use in ferrets or have been tested in ferrets, so are used at the owner’s risk. Manufacturers of these medications will not help out if there’s a reaction or problem, such as not protecting the ferret against heartworms, because the use in ferrets is what’s considered “off” label. They are used extensively by ferret owners, however.

Treatment

Infected ferrets usually die without treatment. Heartworm treatment, however, is relatively new in ferrets. Some vets report a 60- to 75-percent survival rate when using Immiticide to treat heartworms. Prednisone is often used during and after the treatment period. The safer option is to treat more conservatively with ivermectin, furosemide, and prednisone. High doses of ivermectin slowly kills the adult heartworms. Furosemide treats the fluid retention, and prednisone prevents dangerous blood clots from forming as the heartworms die. (Occasionally diltiazem will also be used to treat the right-sided congestive heart failure that the heartworms can cause.)

Vets highly recommend cage rest during heartworm treatment. As you can see, prevention is much better and safer than treatment!

What extra care you can give your ferret

Along with extra rest, ferrets with heart disease should embark on a gentle exercise routine, with plenty of close supervision during playtime. Over-stimulation may worsen the condition. Of course, common sense also dictates that frightening or startling these little heart breakers isn’t a good idea. No barking dogs, firecrackers, or tuba playing, please. Ferrets with heart disease benefit from a low-sodium diet. Use only treats and baby food (such as turkey and turkey gravy) with a low salt content.

Influenza (The “Flu”)

Don’t sneeze on your fuzzy, and don’t let her sneeze on you, either! Your ferret is highly susceptible to human influenza A; you can pass it back and forth to each other if you’re not careful. Influenza is the most common respiratory infection in ferrets. In healthy ferrets, recovery takes about five days. In weak or old ferrets, the sickness can be a little more serious, lasting several weeks.

Disseminated Idiopathic Myofasciitis

Katrina D. Ramsell, PhD, DVM Disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis (DIM), also known as “Polymyositis,” is a relatively new disease in domestic ferrets. The earliest documented case is from 1999, and the disease was first described in 2003. DIM causes a severe inflammatory condition that primarily affects a ferret’s muscles (myositis). The disease generally affects ferrets less than two years of age and is suspected when a ferret exhibits particular clinical signs and has blood values consistent with the disease. Muscle biopsies are currently the only way of confirming the disease in a living ferret. Until 2006, DIM was considered a fatal disease. There are now some confirmed cases and several suspected cases that have responded favorably to the current treatment protocol and are doing well. Initial signs of DIM usually come on relatively quickly and commonly include: A severe, persistent, fluctuating fever (often 104-108(°F) Severe lethargy and weakness Dehydration Enlarged lymph nodes or masses under the skin Abnormal stools Decreased appetite Other signs that may occur with DIM include: Sensitivity/pain when touched, especially in the hind end Increased heart and respiratory rates

Clear discharge from the nose and sometimes eyes Tiny orange dots on the skin Pale gums Ferrets with DIM often have a dramatic increase in their white blood cell count, with most of these cells being neutrophils (cells involved with inflammation and infection). DIM ferrets are also commonly anemic (too few red blood cells), and chemistry results often show a decrease in the blood protein albumin and an increase in blood glucose. Despite many diagnostic tests, a cause for DIM still has not been identified. It does not appear to be a contagious disease, and it has not been associated with any particular breeders, foods, or environmental agents. DIM is likely an immune-mediated disease, and vaccines are currently being investigated as a potential cause for this condition. There is no apparent link between this disease and ferret vaccines that are currently available on the market. Although DIM was considered a fatal disease for three years, a few ferrets confirmed to have DIM and several ferrets suspected to have the disease have responded well to the current treatment protocol. All confirmed, untreated cases have died. If you suspect your ferret has DIM you should contact a ferret knowledgeable veterinarian immediately. Contact information for consultation on DIM and more complete information on the disease is available through the American Ferret Association Web site at: www.ferret.org.

Here are the signs that your ferret has influenza (ones we all, unfortunately, know so well):

• Sneezing and coughing
• Runny nose and eyes
• Fever over 104° Fahrenheit
• Lethargy
• Wheezing
• Diarrhea
• Face rubbing
• Loss of appetite

Unfortunately, the signs are so general and so common to other conditions that it can be difficult to identify the flu.

A little tender, loving care usually is all it takes to get your ferret through. However, antibiotics, fluids, and tummy-coaters may be necessary to combat severe bouts of the flu. Be sure to consult your vet. For severe sneezing, some vets may recommend an antihistamine. Be sure to wash your hands frequently after and in between handling your sicky. Your ferret won’t think twice about sharing her miserable illness with you or other ferrets.

Warning!

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is extremely toxic to ferrets, even in very low doses. The liver metabolizes the medicine, which will send your ferret reeling into liver failure quickly before killing him. Many over-the-counter medicines contain acetaminophen. It’s important that you don’t use any over-the-counter products without your vet’s guidance and approval. You can prevent many fatal mistakes.

If the signs persist for longer than a week, or your fuzzy shows signs of refusing to eat at all, you may not be dealing with the flu. Get to a vet immediately. A ferret with the flu is crabby and tired, but she isn’t knocked completely on her butt. Also, look for abnormal discharge from her nose. A flu discharge is clear.

Warning!

Bacterial pneumonia can bubble up for several reasons — often due to a flu gone from bad to worse. In addition to having flu-like signs, pneumonia causes open-mouthed breathing or labored breathing along with severe, sometimes discolored, nasal goo. Bacterial pneumonia can kill your fuzzy quickly. The treatment depends on the type of bacteria producing the pneumonia. To make the diagnosis and prescribe the defense, your vet can perform a tracheal wash by introducing a small amount of saline into the trachea and then sucking it back up to perform a culture. This can be safely done under a general anesthetic and oxygen. Depending on the type of bacteria present, your vet may prescribe a dosage of penicillin, sulfadiazine, or trimethoprim.

Technical Stuff

1. Ferrets, contrary to popular belief, don’t catch the common cold, which is caused by a rhinovirus. However, ferrets can catch bacterial sinus infections, influenza A, and upper-respiratory infections, all of which can mimic cold-like signs.

Urinary Tract Problems

Several urinary tract problems can pop up in carpet sharks. Many of the problems have similar signs, so a trip to the veterinarian is advisable upon the outset of signs — especially when you consider that urinary tract infections can become serious enough to cause kidney damage and even death. You need to have a correct diagnosis made and begin treatment as soon as possible.

Bladder or urinary tract infections

Bladder or urinary tract infections are caused most often by that irritating resident bacteria E. coli (found in poop, so keep that litter box clean). Staphylococcus is another bacterium that can be the evildoer. Although both males and females are susceptible to this type of infection, it seems more common in females in heat and females with adrenal disease (see Chapter Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps).

Signs of a bladder or urinary tract infection include

• Straining to urinate
• Painful urination
• Frequent piddles
• Discolored or smelly urine

Warning!

If you notice any of these signs, take your critter to the vet immediately. Bladder infections can travel to the kidneys and cause major damage and death. By the time a full-blown kidney infection develops, your fuzzy may be so gravely ill that treatment can prove futile, so correct and early diagnosis is imperative.

Most experts agree that treatment with the proper antibiotics should continue for a minimum of two weeks; some opt for a three-week course of treatment. Stopping the medication too soon may cause the infection to flare up again. And the bug may be even stronger and more resistant to medications the next time around.

Prostate problems

Although male ferrets can get urinary tract infections — they may exhibit similar signs — your vet should first rule out a prostate problem, such as inflammation, cysts, tumors, or abscesses. Prostate woes may be diagnosed just by feeling for an enlargement. You may get to see a little pus ooze out of the fuzzy when his infected prostate is squeezed. Eeeeew! Because this male condition always is a result of adrenal disease (see Chapter Finding and Treating the Big C and Other Lumps), it may go away when you treat that condition.

Stones and blockages

Bladder stones aren’t that common in fuzzies, and the cause still isn’t fully understood. Some experts speculate that a poor diet high in ash or plant-based protein plays a major role. Other possible causes include bacterial or viral infections and even genetic links. Whatever the cause, a bladder stone is a painful condition. The signs are similar to those of a urinary tract infection. Other signs may include bloody or gritty urine (the grit or sand actually is mineral deposits).

Warning!

If the stones in your fuzzy’s system get big enough or collect in the same area, blockages can occur. Your fuzzy will no longer leave piddle puddles at this point. This situation is painful and deadly and requires immediate attention and treatment.

Because stones and blockages mimic infections, diagnosis can be difficult. Often, your vet can feel the large, urine-filled bladder or even the stones themselves. Use of X-rays has been successful in identifying stones in the bladder.

Treatment depends on the severity of the situation. It may be as simple as a change in diet (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly), or it may require more drastic measures — such as surgery. A vet will put your ferret on a regimen of antibiotics to help combat the problem.

Eye Problems

I believe that most every living thing with eyeballs is prone to cataracts and other afflictions of the eye. Naturally, ferrets fall into the group of susceptible animals. I have several fuzzies with cataracts, which are quite common. Some of these furballs are completely blind; others have partial vision. Very often,  however, most eye problems in ferrets can be corrected surgically or medically. Don’t worry if your ferret’s eyes aren’t fixable; a blind ferret or one with limited vision can find trouble as well as or better than a carpet shark with perfect vision.

Living with cataracts

Most of us know people who’ve had cataracts removed from their eyes so that they could see better. Ferrets are prone to this eye disorder, and they can have their cataracts removed just like we can. The condition is easy to spot, because the ferret’s eye becomes opaque or filmy behind the pupil. Cataracts eventually cause blindness because they prevent light from reaching the retina.

If your ferret has a cataract and is under 1 year old, the problem probably is genetic (that is, the result of poor breeding). Some cataracts can be caused by an injury (even while a furkid is inside her mom), a disease, or even an improper diet. Cataracts also may be a developing sign of old age. Although your ferret may be treated for cataracts, blind ferrets adapt very well, as I explain in the “Eye Problems” section.

What sort of things cause interference with sight in the ferret? To name just a few:

• Retinal Disease
• Disease of the lens (cataracts or luxated (twisted) lens)
• Disease of the optic nerve
• Central nervous system problems that affect the vision center (stroke, head trauma)
• Trauma to the eye globe causing rupture or puncture
• Corneal Disease (scarring from ulcers or trauma)

Following are sure-fire signs of eye problems:

• Your ferret seems more cautious about moving around.
• She startles and backs off or snaps at you when you reach in to grab her.
• She walks into things.
• She avoids open spaces and runs along walls or large objects.
• Cataracts are visibly present in her eyes.
• She places a call to your health-insurance carrier to see if laser surgery is covered.

Tip

If you’re not sure if your ferret is blind, you can do the finger test. All my sighted ferrets rapidly chase, follow, or watch my finger as I move it from side to side. My blind guys just pop up their heads and listen to figure out what everyone else is doing. I love these guys. They’re so cute!

What? Is your ferret deaf?

Having a deaf ferret isn’t the end of the world, much like blindness can be overcome. Deafness is common and can be caused by many things. Perhaps the most common cause is a genetic defect. Breeders manipulate many genes to achieve the pretty white markings on ferrets, which can also be associated with deafness. Other causes of deafness include head trauma, infections such as meningitis, seizures, severe and ongoing ear-mite infestations, and ear infections. Certain medications, such as Gentamicin, Gentocin, and Streptomycin, also have been proven to cause deafness in ferrets. Not sure if your ferret is deaf? Want to find out for sure? Do you want to know what type of behaviors deaf ferrets exhibit, and what you can expect in the future? How do you care for a deaf ferret? What considerations must you make? Well, there are several ways you can determine, but first remember to test

in your own home with no distractions, no other ferrets, and no use of vibrations. Do not use visual cues. Do not use odors. It’s also important to wait until the ferret has explored the room and is comfortable with his surroundings. Use a squeaky toy, and when he isn’t looking, squeak it to see if he responds. Same thing as above, but clap loudly or slam a book shut. Put some pennies in a coffee tin and shake it when the ferret turns his back to you. I have oversimplified the subject of deafness in this brief overview. I can point you to easy explanations for all your questions! You can find an extraordinary amount of information on deaf ferrets on my friend Wolfy’s Web site: www.wolfysluv.com/deaf.html. I encourage you to visit this site to educate yourself on the topic of deafness.

Remember

Blind ferrets adapt and function very well. However, you must take special precautions when dealing with a blind ferret. For example, you don’t want to sneak up on her or startle her. You may need to take extra care when ferret-proofing your home to keep her away from falling dangers such as furniture or stairs. You can use scent mapping to help her learn her way around. You have many ways to improve your relationship with your visually impaired ferret! For more information, visit www.wolfysluv.com/blind_ferrets.html.

Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV)

Aleutian Disease (AD) is a contagious and potentially fatal ferret disease caused by a parvovirus. No vaccine is currently available for ferrets. Named after the Aleutian mink, which is highly susceptible to infection with this disease, ADV was first diagnosed on a mink ranch in the 1940s and then in ferrets in the 1960s. The biggest problem with this virus for the ferret isn’t the virus itself, but the ferret’s immune-system response to the invader.

When a virus enters the body, the body usually forms antibodies. These anti-bodies attach to the virus to help the body’s immune system identify the virus as a foreign invader, thus triggering a defensive response to destroy it. In the case of ADV, a large complex of substances, not just the antibodies, bind with the viral particles and form antibody or immune complexes. These large complexes circulate throughout the body until they’re deposited into the tissues of various organs; here, due to their size, the complexes cause inflammation. In small amounts, the complexes won’t cause outward signs of disease; however, if the body deposits enough of these complexes into one area, the clinical disease may result.

Although transmission of ADV can occur through the air, typical transmission occurs through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected ferret, or from contaminated cages, supplies, or humans. Practicing good husbandry and sanitation is the best way to prevent the spread of ADV. Note: The ADV can remain in a ferret-free home for up to two years.

Remember

Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) is the actual organism that causes the disease and Aleutian Disease (AD) is the disease caused by the virus. ADV is not interchangeable with AD.

Remember

Doctors are still researching AD, and vets don’t yet agree on how easily or quickly it can be passed. What they do agree on is that not all ADV-positive ferrets will develop the clinical signs of the disease. Some may never show signs at all. The bad news is that these seemingly healthy animals may be able to shed the virus, or pass it to other ferrets, at any time. According to Susan Brown, DVM, co-author of Essentials of Ferrets: A Guide for Practitioners, “We know very little about this ‘carrier state,’ including how often or under what conditions the virus is shed by the carrier, how long the infection can last, and whether the ferret can ever completely rid its body of the virus.”

Clinical signs

Yes, many ADV-positive ferrets may never show clinical signs; and no one can predict if or when the ADV-positive ferret will show signs. It can be months or even years, if ever. The signs of AD are variable and depend largely on what organs are affected and what, if any, secondary infections have arisen as a result. The following list presents the possibilities; upon seeing a sign, head to your vet on the double:

• Weight loss
• Bloody (black, tarry) stools
• Hind-end weakness
• Lethargy
• Anemia
• Body twitching or seizures
• Enlarged liver or spleen
• Difficulty breathing

Diagnosis and prognosis

Signs of AD vary by type and severity, and they can’t be used as the sole diagnostic tool of the disease. Unfortunately, many other ferret illnesses and diseases have the same or similar manifestations as AD. The vet will use the ferret’s history, along with the clinical signs, to rule out the most likely non-AD causes of your ferret’s illness.

Doctors may run a specific test on either blood or saliva to confirm or rule out ADV, provided by Avecon Diagnostics, called the ELISA test. Unfortunately, as of press time, the accuracy of this test hasn’t been determined. Additionally, a positive result doesn’t necessarily mean that ADV is what’s causing the clinical signs you see; it only means that the virus likely is present. Perhaps the most definitive diagnosis comes from taking biopsies of multiple organs.

Science currently has no cure for AD and no way to predict how long a ferret that exhibits clinical AD-related signs will live. It all depends on the severity of the damage to the organs. Unfortunately, most active cases of AD aren’t diagnosed until the later stages of the disease, thus shortening the ferrets’ lives. Based on the clinical signs present, the positive presence of ADV and its infectious nature, and the likely prognosis, you and your vet must discuss the best plan of action for your ferret.

Treatment

You and your vet can manage the clinical signs to a degree with supportive care. The care will vary according to what signs are present and the degree in which they’re manifested. Your ferret may require assisted feedings and additional fluids to help keep her hydrated. Your vet also may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and other medications to treat the clinical signs.

Tip

You need to put AD into perspective and not panic. AD has been around for decades and has thus far been far less of a serious issue than problems such as cancer, ulcers, intestinal blockages, and Helicobacter. You should always practice good husbandry procedures to prevent the spread of any disease from ferret to ferret, especially if you own multiple fuzzies or come into contact with fuzzy strangers.

Canine Distemper

Canine distemper is an unforgiving and miserable disease that’s 99.9 percent fatal. In extremely rare instances, ferrets have survived, but all survivors have suffered neurological impairments. Because no treatment is available, prevention is critical. You can do your part to prevent the disease by vaccinating your fuzzy.

The canine distemper virus is extremely contagious and can be transmitted to your fuzzy via other infected animals. If you think your fuzzy is safe from canine distemper because she never leaves the house, you’re dead wrong. You can carry this virus into your household on your shoes and clothing. The distemper virus also can live a long time outside of the victim’s body. So be careful and do the right thing: Vaccinate your fuzzy. Note: Humans can’t catch this disease from the poor victims.

The incubation period (the time it takes from the day of infection to the onset of signs) in your ferret may be as little as 7 days or as long as 21 days. When the signs appear, death usually occurs quickly, because the virus attacks many organs at once. On rare occasions, a fuzzy may suffer a longer, more miserable death. Because the prognosis is hopeless and the signs are unbearably miserable, if your vet makes a positive diagnosis, he should humanely euthanize your ferret as soon as possible. The extremely rare survivor will just suffer severe neurological damage and her quality of life will be poor.

Clinical signs of distemper include

• Eye infection/discharge
• Severe lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Rash on chin, lips, and nose
• Rash on belly and heinie
• Hardened/thick paw pads
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Coma

Warning!

Pet owners who decide against vaccinating for distemper run the risk of not only a single ferret becoming infected with distemper, but also the entire group. A single ferret can come into contact with the virus — perhaps from the owner’s shoe or during a vet checkup where an infected dog was in the office — become ill, and infect all the ferrets in the household before the owner realizes what’s going on.

Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly)

The spleen (in ferrets and in other animals and humans) has several functions: For example,

• It serves as a blood purifier, filtering out bacteria and damaged cells.
• It provides the perfect environment for the cells of the immune system to learn how to counterattack an invasion of possible marauding organisms.
• It stores iron from old red blood cells, which is used to make new red blood cells. In ferrets and many other species, the spleen is an additional site for red and white blood cell production.
• In some species, the spleen stores blood and releases it in times of need.

An enlarged spleen, or splenomegaly, is extremely prevalent in fuzzies, and no one really knows why. This problem often appears by itself, with no other underlying diseases. The ferret’s spleen normally gets larger with age, but sometimes this growth is accelerated. One common thought is that the use of certain anesthetics rapidly causes this condition. The enlargement in this case is temporary only while the animal is under the effects of the anesthetic. Then the spleen goes back to normal. The spleen is very elastic, and may enlarge and go back to normal on its own as well when responding to the body’s needs for more cells

Diagnosing an enlarged spleen is relatively easy. Most experienced vets should be able to feel the enlarged organ by simply squishing around the ferret’s abdomen. And an X-ray often confirms the size and condition of the organ. Care should be taken not to apply enough pressure to rupture a severely bulging spleen.

The shared expert opinion regarding treatment is to leave the spleen in if it isn’t causing discomfort or other problems. In other words, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Fuzzies generally can live long, healthy lives with big spleens. Removing a spleen unnecessarily can put your baby in more jeopardy. On the other hand, if the oversized spleen is causing discomfort, lethargy, or loss of appetite, removal of the organ is necessary. Surgery to remove the spleen actually is straightforward, and the survival rate is extremely high — especially when no other illnesses are present.

Remember

It’s always a good idea to have your vet send out a sample of the spleen to a pathologist to determine the cause of the enlargement. Remember, illnesses or diseases caught early have a better chance of being treated more effectively.

Hairballs

Ferrets are prone to developing gastric hairballs, and hairballs can lead to intestinal blockages. Unlike cats, ferrets won’t leave colorful wads of urped-up fur on your newly shampooed carpet. Ferrets are capable of throwing up, but usually the fur accumulates in the ferret’s body until it becomes a large mass — a mass too big to go either up or down. Hairballs and other block-ages (see the section “Intestinal and stomach blockages”) can cause ferrets to become seriously ill — and they often cause death.

You should give your ferret a hairball preventative such as Laxatone, Petromalt, or Laxaire on a regular basis to help clean out her system. I give each of my ferrets 1/4 teaspoon of a hairball preventative a few times a week. Most ferrets like the taste of the stuff, although some need to get used to it. With more difficult types, you may need to insist that they take it — by squeezing it directly into their mouths. You can find hairball remedies or preventives at many pet stores and certainly at the larger pet supply stores. Some ferret shelters and veterinarians also carry these products. You absolutely must have a tube of this type of product on hand at all times.

Tip

If you think your fuzzy has ingested something that can cause major internal damage, increase the hairball remedy to 1/2 teaspoon twice a day to help pass the object through. Monitor her health and behavior closely and get her to the vet immediately if her health deteriorates. If you don’t have a yummy-tasting hairball preventative on hand for some reason, a good substitute is petroleum jelly (Vaseline). You may need to mix it with a little Ferretone or another liquid treat to help the ferret swallow it.

Rabies

Although ferrets are highly unlikely to contract rabies, the possibility does exist. Rabies, caused by a rhabdovirus, is passed through the saliva of an infected animal, most frequently through a bite that penetrates the skin. After entering the body, the deadly virus attaches to nerve bundles, reproduces, and migrates to the victim’s brain. The virus then travels along nerve bundles until it reaches the salivary glands, where the animal can then pass it to another victim through a bite.

Technical Stuff

Many different strains of the rabies virus exist, including rodent, raccoon, fox, and skunk strains. Studies suggest that fuzzies are most susceptible to the raccoon strain, which they can pass on before death.

Rabies can manifest itself in one of two ways:

• Furious rabies: With furious rabies, the infected animal exhibits intense aggression, biting, and foaming at the mouth.
• Dumb rabies: With dumb rabies, the animal becomes lethargic and deathly ill, and wants little to do with people or other animals. Animals with dumb rabies don’t attack and usually die quickly. Although ferret infection is extremely rare, studies indicate that ferrets will likely exhibit dumb rabies, with death occurring seven days (on average) after the ferret has been infected.

The following signs also suggest that your ferret may have rabies (although they can indicate a host of problems):

• Disorientation
• Loss of coordination
• Muscle spasms
• Difficulty breathing
• Drooling
• Nervousness
• Hind-leg weakness
• Passiveness
• Hind-end paralysis

Remember

Today, unlike many years ago, you have a choice on how much life “insurance” you’re willing to buy for your lovable fuzzbutt, because you can give her a rabies vaccine. Some people want to weigh the pros and cons of vaccinating (the only viable con being a history of life-threatening allergic reactions), but the pros weigh heavily on the scale. Failure to vaccinate your ferret can lead to a miserable disease and death. To the true fuzzy human, the emotional cost of losing a ferret to a preventable disease is immeasurable. Proof of vaccination also may calm the fears of people who get bitten or scratched — and perhaps prevent confiscation of your pet (see Chapter Ferrets and the Law: Licensing and Other Issues).

Ulcers

By the time you’re done reading about all that can go wrong with your fuzzy, you may be suffering from an ulcer yourself! Ulcers are one of the most common ferret diseases. An ulcer is an open sore, which can occur on the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. For this section, I talk about ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract. The causes of ulcers are just about the same for fuzzies and humans:

• Stress, stress, and more stress: The stress can come from illness, disease, grief (loss of a cagemate), low-quality food, injury, or even anxiety over the environment (overcrowding, abuse, small cage, poor husbandry, no exercise, and so on). (For more on helping your fuzzy grieve, check out Chapter Saying Goodbye When the Time Comes.)
• Possible bacterial invasion: The bacteria H. mustelae’s presence may trigger a progressive inflammatory reaction in a ferret’s stomach’s lining. The reaction weakens the lining and predisposes it to further damage. Ulcers, perhaps? No one knows for sure if bacteria can be directly linked to ulcers, but it sure can cause some serious damage to the tummy.
• Ulcer-causing substances: These substances include alcohol, aspirin, and certain medications.
• Hairballs or other stomach foreign bodies: Rubbing on the lining of the stomach in the same area over and over can cause severe irritation.

Signs

The signs of an ulcer include the following:

• Lethargy
• Tender belly
• Face rubbing
• Black, tarry stools
• Teeth grinding
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting (may be bloody)
• Weight loss
• Pale gums
• Bad breath
• Hunched posture (painful abdomen)
• More aggression (pain)

If you notice any of these signs, take your ferret to the vet for an exam and diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Having an ulcer diagnosed as soon as possible is important, because it’s a very painful condition that may lead to death. Besides being unable to adequately digest their food, ulcer patients bleed internally from oozing blood vessels. For some reason, ulcer signs often are misdiagnosed as another intestinal or stomach problem. An effective diagnostic tool is a barium X-ray, which shows any signs of burned-out bellies or intestine.

Treatment

Treatment of ulcers usually begins with antibiotic therapy, with medicines such as Amoxicillin and Biaxin to combat H. mustelae. Some veterinarians use Flagyl. To treat the ulcer itself, most vets use Carafate (which is most effective when given 10 minutes prior to feeding; consult your vet). Your vet may prescribe OTC acid relievers such as Pepcid AC or Tagamet to relieve the burning and nausea that accompany ulcers. A bland diet is recommended during treatment (see Chapter Filling Your Ferret’s Belly for tips on changing diet).

Because a ferret’s body is always secreting stomach acid to help break down food, treatment can be long and tedious. It can and usually will take over a month for a ferret’s ulcer to heal, and you should be prepared to treat the ulcer for a minimum of ten days after all signs have disappeared. Also, don’t be surprised if your ferret gets another ulcer down the road. After she gets one, she’ll be prone to getting more.

Warning!

If you allow your ferret’s ulcer to progress without proper treatment, it may become so deep that it hits a major blood vessel and causes the suffering fuzzy to bleed to death internally. (The black, tarry stool associated with ulcers, for example, actually is digested blood and a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract.) If your ferret doesn’t bleed to death, anemia may result from the constant rupturing of small blood vessels in the belly. Ulcers can also go all the way through the lining of the stomach and perforate, leading to the dumping of stomach contents into the abdomen and resulting in peritonitis and death.

 by Kim Schilling