You would have to call Animal Poison Control to see if it would be poisonous to ferrets. Check also w Vicks itself: http://www.vicks.com/vaporub.php Camphor Poisoning: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002566.htm Including: >Note: This list may not be all inclusive. > >Symptoms > >Twitching facial muscles >Muscle spasms >Excessive thirst >Convulsions >Rigid muscles >Slow breathing >Burning of the mouth or the throat >Skin irritation >Abdominal pain >Nausea and vomiting >Rapid pulse >Restlessness or agitation >Unusual behavior >Unconsciousness > >Home Care >Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless >told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Menthol, too, can be poisonous. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002673.htm >Note: This list may not be all inclusive. > >Symptoms > >Bladder and kidneys >Blood in the urine >No urine output >Lungs >Shallow breathing >Rapid breathing >Gastrointestinal >Abdominal pain >Diarrhea >Nausea >Vomiting >Heart and blood >Rapid heartbeat >Nervous system >Unconsciousness >Dizziness >Convulsions > >Home Care >If the menthol is in ointment/cream form, wipe away any that remains >on the skin's surface. Call Poison Control for further guidance. >Seek immediate emergency medical care. > Heart damage from camphor: http://www.springerlink.com/content/660774471q062598/ Includes a Camphor toxicity article: http://www.veterinarywatch.com/Medline4.htm <http://www.nzymes.com/Articles/pet_poisoning_dog_poisoning_cat_poisoning.htm> http://www.drugs.com/enc/camphor-overdose.html I don't have time to seek more deeply for you. (If you don't mean the vaporub, some other of their products contain Acetaminophen which can destroy a ferret's liver in even tiny amounts.) Poison Control and helpful poisoning prevention references: ASPCA Animal Poison Control: http://www.napcc.aspca.org Angell Memorial's ASPCA Poison Control: <http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=poisoncontrolhotline_pagewrapperlanding> Poisons to avoid: http://www.avonvets.co.uk/2ndyr_hands/Poisons.html Poisonous plants with photos to help identify after an incident: http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/index.html Also, do not use toothpaste due to the fluoride (something that was not known when we first had ferrets though I never heard of any problems till at least 5 to 10 years later -- which might simply mean that the risk was not known and missed if cumulative). Sukie (not a vet) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 5832]
