Cindy -
 
        With a temperature of 105 and a very inflamed testicle - I would suggest
skipping the antibiotics and just removing the testicle.  You will still have
one good testicle, hopefully.  Orchitis is uncommon in ferrets, but testicular
neoplasia is not.  I recently saw a ferret with a very enlarged testicle - 10
cm!!!  It was the result of a testicular neoplasm and abundant fluid production
in the surrounding fibrous connective tissue.
 
        My thoughts is that if there is a raging infection in there, it will
probably destroy the testis, anyhow.  By removing the testis you would 1)
alleviate the problem, and 2) prevent possible spread to the other testis,
urinary tract, or possibly the rest of the animal.
 
        I don't think I have seen a primary bacterial infection in the testis,
but one could certainly arise from penetrating trauma of some type (a bite from
another ferret)?  Testicular neoplasms are far more common.  If you do end up
having to remove the testicle - I would be happy to do the pathology on it at no
charge (my standard rate for ferrets).
 
        Good luck.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM
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[Posted in FML issue 0777]