Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE)
ECE is a gastrointestinal disease, probably caused by a coronavirus, in which the lining of the intestines becomes inflamed. This means the ferret cannot properly absorb food and water. If untreated, ECE can affect the liver and become deadly.
Symptoms:
- Mucousy, bright green or yellow diarrhea
- Lethargy and sleepiness
- Substantial weight loss
- Vomiting
- Squinted, watery eyes
- Ulcers in the mouth or stomach
- Coma
Prevention:
- Wash your hands before and after you handle your ferret.
- After visiting with strange ferrets, wash and change your clothes before handling your own ferret.
- Don’t introduce new ferrets to each other until all of them have been given a clean bill of health by a vet.
Treatment:
While there is no cure for ECE, medications can treat the side effects of the disease, managing intestinal ulcers, intestinal pain, and any bacterial infections.
A ferret with ECE should be taken to the vet immediately, given IV fluids to avoid dehydration and supplemental food (like Carnivore Care) to avoid starvation.
Most ferrets recover from ECE within a month, and go on to lead normal healthy lives.
If ECE is not treated by a vet it can prove to be fatal to the ferret. It is also highly contagious to other ferrets.
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Influenza
Ferrets get the same influenza (flu) viruses that humans do. In fact, humans can give the flu to ferrets and ferrets can give the flu to humans. The symptoms for ferrets are similar to those of humans, but the virus may last longer (up to several weeks for weak or older ferrets) in ferrets.
Symptoms:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Runny eyes
- Fever over 104°F (40°C)
- Lethargy
- Wheezing
- Diarrhea
- Rubbing of the face
- Appetite loss
Prevention:
- Wash your hands before and after you handle your ferret.
- After visiting with strange ferrets, wash and change your clothes before handling your own ferret.
- Don’t introduce new ferrets to each other until all of them have been given a clean bill of health by a vet.
- If you have flu symptoms, avoid handling the ferret. If you must handle them, wash your hands before and after handling and wear a mask.
- If a ferret’s cagemate has flu symptoms, quarantine them until the symptoms are gone.
Treatment:
Like with humans, it’s best to provide supportive care when a ferret has the flu. This may include supplemental fluids and food. Your vet may also prescribe antibiotics and tummy-coaters.
If your ferret shows flu symptoms, take them to the vet just in case they have a more serious disease.
Urinary tract or bladder infection
UTIs and bladder infections are usually caused by E. coli or Staphylococcus.
Symptoms:
- Straining when urinating
- Frequent urination
- Discolored or smelly urine
Prevention:
E. coli is found in feces, so keep your ferret’s litter boxes clean!
Treatment:
Your vet will prescribe a course of antibiotics for at least two weeks.
Aleutian disease (AD)
AD is caused by a parvovirus, which causes an immune response that can lead to inflammation of organ tissues throughout the body. Researchers are unsure how contagious the Aleutian disease virus (ADV) is.
Symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
- Bloated abdomen
- Black feces
- Weakness in rear legs
- Paleness
- Stumbling, circling, or difficulty walking
- Coma
Prevention:
- Wash your hands before and after you handle your ferret.
- After visiting with strange ferrets, wash and change your clothes before handling your own ferret.
- Don’t introduce new ferrets to each other until all of them have been given a clean bill of health by a vet.
- If one of your ferrets has the virus, even if they are not showing symptoms, quarantine them from other pets.
Treatment:
The actual virus cannot be treated, but your vet will recommend supportive care to help fight the symptoms of AD. This may include supplemental fluids, assisted feedings, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Canine distemper
UTIs and bladder infections are usually caused by E. coli or Staphylococcus.
Symptoms:
- Eye discharge or infection
- Lethargy
- Appetite loss
- Rash on the chin, lips, and nose
- Rash on belly and butt
- Hardened and thickened paw pads
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Coma
Prevention:
The distemper virus can be brought in on your shoes and clothing, so keeping your ferret indoors does NOT protect them from it. The only preventative for distemper is the vaccine.
Make sure your ferret is vaccinated three times (at 8, 11, and 14 weeks old), then annually as an adult. If you’re nervous about vaccinating that often, have your vet test your adult ferret for distemper antibodies (called a titer test) annually. If the antibodies are present at good levels, then your ferret is still vaccinated and does not need another booster. (The American Ferret Association suggests your vet use the titer test for canine distemper provided by the Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center.)
Treatment:
There is no cure for the distemper virus and the prognosis is extremely poor. Most ferrets die miserably after contracting the virus and those that do survive usually suffer severe neurological damage. Many vets recommend euthanizing a ferret if it has been diagnosed with canine distemper, to prevent further suffering.
If you do decide to treat a ferret with canine distemper, your vet will recommend quarantining it from all other animals to prevent the spread of the disease. (Humans cannot contract the virus, but many other household pets can.) Supportive care, such as intravenous fluids and assisted feeding, will be prescribed, as well as antiviral and antibiotic drugs.
Adrenal gland disease
Adrenal gland disease, in which the adrenal glands start overproducing sex steroids, is extremely common in ferrets, particularly those over 3 years old. There are a number of theories about why adrenal gland disease happens, including early neutering and spaying, unnatural light cycles, and prolonged stress. While adrenal gland disease does typically progress to cancer, it does not normally metastasize and produce cancerous cells in other organs of the body.
Symptoms:
- Symmetrical hair loss, particularly at the base of the tail and progressing up the body
- Excessive itchiness
- Swollen vulva in female ferrets
- Mating behaviors, like humping, in males
- Unusual aggressive behavior
- Anemia in female ferrets
Many vets will diagnose adrenal disease on symptoms alone, particularly since the disease is so common. If you want to be sure, or the diagnosis isn’t obvious, they can send your ferret’s blood to the University of Tennessee (or to their local laboratory) for sex hormone testing.
Prevention:
Because we’re not exactly sure what causes adrenal disease, there are no agreed-upon preventative measures. Although a common preventative measure that some vets are now implementing is implanting ferrets with the Suprelorin® F (deslorelin acetate) implant throughout their lives. Ask your vet about this option.
Treatment:
Surgery is sometimes used to remove the affected adrenal tissue, but many ferrets are not good candidates for surgery. In addition, removing the affected tissue does not guarantee that the disease will not flare up in the remaining adrenal tissue.
In addition or instead of surgery, your vet may recommend one of two implants: Suprelorin® F (deslorelin acetate) and a melatonin implant.
Suprelorin® F (deslorelin acetate) implant is the most popular treatment in the United States because it helps your ferret live a normal life for a longer period of time with few or no side effects. The implant does not treat the underlying disease, but does treat the symptoms effectively. Eventually, the adrenal disease will progress to the point where it does not respond to the implant and additional treatments will need to be considered.
Melatonin implants are sometimes prescribed instead of or in addition to surgery. Higher levels of melatonin suppress the sex hormone levels caused by adrenal disease. Like with the Suprelorin® F implant, a melatonin implant does not treat the underlying disease, just the symptoms. Similarly, the adrenal disease will eventually progress so that it does not respond to the implant.
Insulinoma
Insulinoma is a cancer of the insulin-secreting pancreatic cells, leading to an overproduction of insulin and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Symptoms:
- Low blood sugar
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Drooling
- Weight loss
- Weak back legs
- Vomiting
- Pawing at the face and mouth
- Poor coordination
- Twitching and tremors
- Seizures
- Coma
Prevention:
Some people believe that foods high in carbohydrates may contribute to the development of insulinoma, particularly since rates of insulinoma are higher in countries where ferrets are fed more highly-processed pet foods. However, the cause of insulinoma is unknown and even ferrets fed an unprocessed diet can develop it.
Treatment:
Your vet may recommend surgery to remove the tumors, which can stop or slow the progression of the disease. However, insulinoma tumors tend to be small and located throughout the pancreas, making removing them quite difficult. Unfortunately, tumors usually come back after surgery, though surgery has the best prognosis.
Many people choose instead to manage the symptoms of the disease for the ten months or longer they can typically live after diagnosis. Medications can help stabilize blood sugar levels; corticosteroids increase blood sugar levels and diazoxide inhibits the release of insulin from the pancreas. Vets will also recommend changes in diet and keeping corn syrup or honey on hand for emergencies. When a ferrets shows signs of low blood sugar, you should rub the syrup/honey on their gums and get them to the vet as soon as possible.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, the organs and cells that fight disease. There are two kinds of lymphoma: juvenile lymphosarcoma, which hits at around 14 months of age, and class lymphosarcoma, which hit middle-aged and older ferrets. Both kinds have the same signs, but juvenile lymphosarcoma can be more aggressive and less responsive to treatment.
Symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Extreme weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Tarry stools
- Labored breathing
- Drooling
- Appetite loss
- Enlarged spleen
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Masses under the skins
Prevention:
We’re unsure what causes lymphoma, so there are no agreed-upon preventative measures. Some experts believe that lymphoma is caused by a virus, so you may want to quarantine any ferrets with the disease.
Treatment:
The treatment with the best prognosis for lymphoma is chemotherapy, but many ferrets (especially older ones) are not good candidates for chemotherapy, which may cause serious side effects.
Steroids can help improve quality of life, though they do not treat the underlying condition.
Intestinal and stomach blockages
While not technically a disease, blockages are extremely common in ferrets and the leading cause of death for ferrets under 2 years old. No matter your ferret’s age, you should always be on the lookout for blockages. Most blockages are the result of hairballs or the ferret eating something they shouldn’t, like bedding, rubber, or foam.
Symptoms:
- Constipation
- Black, tarry poop
- Thin poop
- Bloating
- Appetite loss
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Pawing at mouth
- Dehydration
- Teeth grinding
- Lethargy
- Coma
- Seizure
Prevention:
Ferrets tend to like chewing on certain materials, like rubber, foam, or fabric. If you notice your ferret chewing on something, remove all items of that material from the ferret’s reach.
Treatment:
Your vet may recommend giving your ferret a laxative or surgery to fix a blockage. If giving your ferret a laxative, you will need to give your ferret supplemental fluids every few hours to avoid dehydration. If an intestinal blockage goes untreated by a vet the ferrets condition can deteriorate within a few days and then lead to death.
Ferret Dental Disease (FDD)
FDD is typically due to excessive bad bacteria growing under the gumline. This build up increases due to diet supplying nutrients, particularly carbohydrates, and poor diets that fail to demand enough movement and friction to dislodge this bateria. It can cause ulcers, abscesses, and dental decay.
Symptoms:
- Pawing at the mouth
- Licking lips
- Bad breath
- Oral pain
Prevention:
- Try to maintain their oral hygiene if they will allow you to brush their teeth or feed your ferret raw chicken necks once a week, these naturally clean the ferrets teeth as they chew on the bones.
- Providing fresh whole prey helps dislodge bacteria from beneath the gums and substitutes for higher carbohydrate diets that can increase the problem.
- Chew toys provide another opportunity to dislodge bacteria from beneath their gums.
Treatment:
Find a vet that is qualified in providing dental treatments and request a thorough clean. Further dental work may also be required.
Aplastic Anemia (AA)
Many people think of anemia as a lack of iron, but Aplastic Anemia is caused by a lack of red blood cells. Bone marrow is responsible for the creation of red blood cells, but an excess of estrogen in female ferrets suppresses red blood cell production. This excess of estrogen is most likely to happen when the ferret has been in heat for a few weeks. This is a serious disease that can result in death.
Symptoms:
- Pale gums
- Lethargy
- Weakness
Prevention:
- Preventing the female from going into heat through surgery or medication.
- Reducing the period during which the ferret is in heat by providing a mate. Note, ferret breeding has risks also and requires an informed decision.
- Knowing what color healthy gums are and checking gum color regularly, especially when the ferret is in heat.
Treatment:
In some circumstances, providing a mate is a solution. But this requires a lot of consideration and involves its own risks. Otherwise hormonal treatment provided by a vet is necessary.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DC)
DC is a type of heart failure and can cause sudden death in ferrets. It is a general term for when the heart becomes enlarged and struggles to work efficiently. A link between insufficient dietary Taurine and DC has been found in cats. But while this may apply also to ferrets, there is likely to also be underlying genetic causes that sufficient Taurine may not address. It is hard to detect and while symptoms are possibly treatable, there is frequently no cure.
Symptoms:
- Increased respiratory rate
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Coughing
Prevention:
- Fresh whole prey diet may have some effect.
Treatment:
It may be possible to treat symptoms by providing medication to reduce heart swelling, or medication to make the blood easier to pump. There can be a variety of underlying causes, but where the cause is genetic, there are no available treatments.
