Just as we started talking about ferret sniffles, I noticed this
wonderful note from Barbra Carlson from Carnegie Mellon in the USENET
newsgroup rec.pets. It is in response to someone's query about colds
and ferrets. I'm forwarding it to the ferret list with her permission.
Bill
---------------------------Original message---------------------------
Brian:
Ferrets get the same respiratory illnesses that people do. An illness in
a ferret needs to be treated quickly and agressively to prevent
infection. When a ferret has a cold (or the flu), it cannot smell and
therefore will not eat. With such a fast metabolism, it's important that
they eat every 4 hours, so this is much more serious than in a dog or a
cat. Two days without food can seriously affect a ferret's immune system
and can weaken it greatly. If you keep your ferret in a closet, you're
going to have a hard time doing what needs to be done. I keep mine in a
cage, and this makes the procedure a lot easier. I'll give you the
instructions for ferrets in a cage [which is nothing like
ferret-under-glass :)]
Put the cage in a warm spot where there are no drafts. Cover it with a
bath towel and set up a WARM air vaporizor with aromatic medicine in it.
You can buy it at the pet store (mine has a picture of a ferret on it),
or you can use something like Vicks for vaporizors. You can't use the
regular Vicks rub, because it doesn't melt and get into the air. Put the
vaporizor so that it steams into the cage and use the bath towel to keep
the warm vaporized air in the cage. This doesn't do anything to *cure*
them, but it helps open their noses and then they'll eat.
If they become very lethargic, have seriously labored breathing (not
just little wheezes and sneezing), breathe very quickly and shallowly,
have a fever, moan or whimper, bite you when you pick them up -- or any
other sign that the ferret is in pain -- take it to the vet immediately.
Don't wait more than 2 or 3 hours. These are symptoms of an infection.
When I first got my first ferret as a kit from the pet store, it had the
flu. I didn't know diddly about ferrets and Skittles got *seriously*
ill. I feel that she suffered brain damage from the high fever, and
while she's a great ferret, she has very poor balance, much less muscle
tone, and I suspect she won't live as long as Keesa.
A normal temperature for a ferret is 102-104, depending on how much
they've been running around. If the ferret has been lying around and it
has a temp of 104, I'd be suspicious. Take it again in 1/2 hour. If it
goes up even a little bit (and the ferret hasn't been running around),
take it to the vet. If the vet says, "Well let's see how it is in a day
or two," CALL ANOTHER VET! (I had no idea what a ferret temp should be,
and neither did my regular vet when Skittle was sick.) It's not unusual
for a sick ferret to go to 106 quickly.
Once it has a fever, it has an infection and needs a shot of antibiotic.
My Skittles had a fever OVER 110 (that's as high as the vet's
thermometer would go and it shut itself off!). They put her into
lukewarm water (the vet was amazed at how LIVELY she seemed for having
that high a fever :) They gave her a shot of antibiotic and something to
help clear her lungs (she was wheezing pretty badly by then). When I
finally decided that the ferret was really, truly sick was she *moaned*
while I held her. She hid in my hair and just moaned. I felt so utterly
awful and stupid. I took her temp with my digital thermometer, and it
shut off after it hit 106, and I thought maybe it was broken, which
delayed things, too.
Taking the temp of a ferret can be interesting. The easiest way is to
have someone else hold it *firmly* by the scruff (to trigger that
"limpness") on it's back, then you insert the thermometer into the
rectum. You really only have to insert just the silver part for it to
take the temp (it gave me the willies, putting a big thermometer into
the rectum of my tiny 6 week old kit). Expect them to try to push it
out, poop, pee and try to wiggle away. Digitals are best because they
don't take as long as regular bulb thermometers. Regular thermometers
are supposed to be left in for 3 minutes, but I could never hold the
ferret that long. 1 to 1-1/2 minutes will give you a fair idea of what's
happening. But, like I said, the digital is much better (especially if
they beep when they're done). You're not being cruel (even though the
ferret thinks you are), and it won't hurt the ferret. (I was quite
squeemish about hurting the ferret)
Ferrets get colds and flu from people quite easily, and drafts can
contribute to the problem. If you want to open a window, cover the cage
with a towel, or restrict the ferret. (You have to be careful they don't
jump out the window!) mostly, don't let people with colds touch the
ferret. Once a ferret catches a cold, they can get infections pretty
easily, which is mostly why I learned how to give shots and keep
antibiotic in my refrigerator now. If they catch a cold, I vaporize 'em
(giggle) for a day. If they run a fever or don't look better after one
day (remember, everything goes really fast with a ferret), I just give
them a shot. (I use a 48 hour pennicillin, I've only had to give another
shot once)
If you have more questions, please feel free to contact me. I remember
how terribly scared I was with Skittles and I would like to help prevent
anyone else having to go through that.
--Barb--
Barbara Carlson
Carnegie Mellon University
[log in to unmask]
Pisces Unite!
[Posted in FML issue 0216]
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