**The advice dispensed by myself in reference to FML postings is not meant
to supplant the advice of veterinarians who are in charge of the patient.
If the patient is not currently under the care of a veterinarian, the client
is recommended to take their ferret to one.**
 
Sorry for the long delay, it has been very, very busy at the Animal Hospital.
 
>From:    Brad Laraway <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Vet Question
>My ferret Mako has a urinary track infection.  He has alot of blood in his
>urine.  He is currently on .25 ml of amoxie(sp) drops.  Three times a day.
 
Not to be the adrenal disease pessimist, but in male ferrets benign
prostatic enlargement is a common symptom of adrenal disease.  The most
common sign to the owner is an urinary tract infection.  These ferrets can
become obstructed (can't urinate) and that is a life threatening situation.
Have your vet look into it.
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Ferrets and Anipryl
 
I don't have any information on anipryl for ferrets.  Even in dog medicine,
it is reserved for cognitive dysfunction orders (not the easiest thing to
test for).
 
>From:    Sergio Russek <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferrets and Pregnant Women
 
Ferrets can carry toxoplasmosis and pregnant women should not clean up the
litter box.  As for other reasons, I cannot think of any.
 
>From:    Michelle Bloodworth <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Losing weight
>One of my little girls, Sabina, is losing a lot of weight and I am getting
>concerned. She is a black eyed white that is 2 1/2 to 3 yrs old (we adopted
>her) and a MF ferret.
 
Losing weight can be due to a variety of problems.  I think that gastritis
is number one.  Force feeding and antibiotics are the general course of
treatment.
 
As for the shiny toe mass, I would put a mast cell tumor on the top on my
list.  This should be surgically removed and biopsied.
 
>From:    Dolphin <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Lucy's sick :(
>I took Lucy to the vet today because I noticed lately she's been loosong
 
I would think adrenal disease with secondary gastritis would be very
possible.  Treat the weight loss first then explore the hair loss.
 
>From:    Amy Nahirny <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: diarhea
>I am kind of concerned my 6 month old female has got runny green diarhea.
 
This response is probably a little dated, but for ferrets acting normal but
have diarrhea, pepto-bismol works well short term.  The concern is that you
need to address the underlying cause of the diarrhea.  If it persists, see a
vet.
 
>From:    "Kathy S. Mullett" <[log in to unmask]>
>I have a 14 month-old male ferret named Jake.  Lately I have noticed that
>Jake has been losing weight. There are no other symptoms.  He is not losing
>hair.
 
When I have one of these young ferrets that is losing weight, I consider two
things: 1) what type of diet. I have people who have their ferrets on Purina
Cat Chow - way too low in protein and fat.  2) some type of malabsorption
from a previous intestinal insult (usually these ferrets have loose stool).
 
>From:    "Sheri M." <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Rabies tags
 
State of New Hampshire Law states that I have to give a tag with anything I
give a rabies certificate to.  All pets vaccinated with a rabies need a
certificate, therefore all ferrets get tags.  The Law does not say that
ferrets need tags (circular logic here).  Depends on State and County laws.
 
>From:    Heidi Reagle or Jason Matchett <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: rabies shots?
 
If you live in the United States, you vet is wrong! Imrab3 by Rhone Merieux
is a federally approved vaccine for ferrets and has been for a few years now.
Yes, ferrets can get vaccine reactions from Imrab3 (I have had two ferrets
do this)but there is a vaccine.
 
>From:    Alicia Dawn Collins <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: prolapsed rectum
>My mom just took our 8 week old sprite to the vet today.  We have only
>owned her about 1 week.  She was having cow pie excretions...
 
Even on the old ones, I recommend surgery, especially for insulinomas and
adrenal disease.  Lysodren (see previous comments) also causes hypoglycemia,
not something you want with an insulinoma ferrets.  I recommend waiting 30
days after finishing the Lysodren before the adrenal surgery.  Yes, older
ferrets are more at risk for anesthesia than young ones, but there are ways
and anesthesia methods to minimize the risk.  Univ.  of Tenn.  should be
able to handle it.
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Distemper Shots
>We recently called around to some local vets regarding shot for our
>ferrets.  One of the vets claims that it is believed that a ferret can get
>feline as well as canine distemper shots, and say we need both.
 
Older texts mentioned that ferrets may be susceptible to feline distemper
(aka panleukopenia) but new research shows this is not true.  Only canine
distemper.
 
>From:    Barbara Gustafson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Stumped
 
Has your vet ruleout scabies yet? On itchy ferrets, I routinely treat with a
drug called ivermectin.
 
Also 33% of ferrets with adrenal disease itch.  If your vet is considering
adrenal disease, do the Univ.  of Tennessee adrenal test.
 
>From:    Richard Beveridge <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Swollen Cracked  Paws
>Arnold, a 6 yr old insulinomic male has a swollen and cracked paw on the
>front, and on the same side in the rear the paw looks a little crusty.
 
I see this infrequently also and have not found a foolproof solution.  I try
emollient cremes or steroid cremes.
 
>From:    "D.J. & Liz" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Muscular Distrophy
>Last week I posted about my 4 month old, blind ferret "Jezebel".  She walks
>funny and it reminds me of how a person with MS walks.
 
In a young ferret I would consider congenital disease or a type of neural
tube defect on the top of the list.  Typically these ferrets do not improve
and may worsen as they grow bigger.
 
>From:    Helen Andersson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: VET-QUEST: Lysodren treatment on ferrets ?
>I just came back from a visit at the vet-clinic with my 8 years old female
>ferret.  From the knowledge we have( local vet, FAQ, and you all) she has
>adrenal disease. She is an old lady and I will not put her through surgery.
 
Lysodren is dosed at 23 mg/lb of body weight daily for seven days than twice
weekly.  In my experience it works only 50% of the time.  Other vets have
gone as low as 0% success rate.  Even though she is old, I would still
recommend surgery as the better option.
 
>From:    "FRITZ, GINA M., HMR/US" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Hair Loss
>A friend of mine has two ferrets: One lost all its hair
 
As usual, top of the list is adrenal disease.  The small scabs can also be
due to a type of mange called scabies.
 
>From:    "D.J. & Liz" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Chromes Disease
 
Probably meant Chron's disease which is a type of colitis in people that
results in diarrhea.  Ferrets don't get it as far as we know at this point.
Most likely ECE or other non-specific gastritis/inflammation.
 
>From:    Alicia Dawn Collins <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: prolapsed rectum
>My mom just took our 8 week old sprite to the vet today.  She was having
>cow pie excretions so we grew concerned.
 
I occasionally see prolapsed rectums.  If small, my treatment is the same as
you mentioned.  I would also check a stool sample since intestinal parasites
(especially coccidia) can cause prolapses.
 
Mike Dutton, DVM, DABVP
Weare Animal Hospital
Weare, NH, USA
[Posted in FML issue 1895]