Help!  I am getting really concerned about Abe, my boy.  He is a senior
ferret with an appr age of 7 years old (appr because he was adopted and
they think he was 2 when I adopted him).
 
Here are the symptoms: more extreme loss of hair and all of a sudden
excessive drooling, NOT foaming, drooling of the mouth yesterday.  Let
me explain before people start yelling at me for neglecting him or
something (which has been known to happen).  I just took Abe into the
vet twice in June and did blood work twice, stool samples, exams, etc.
At that point his tail was "thinner" but his tail has always been quite
thin and the vet attributed more thinning with him being a senior.  All
the tests came back negative, I was concerned about Adrenal of course bc
of the hair.  Yesterday, Abe was playing and stuck his head out of his
toy bin (he likes jumping in and grabbing more toys) and all of a sudden
this huge line of drool (almost like he was salivating, but at what???)
comes out of his mouth.  I jump up and run to him and he is acting
like nothing happened.  Like he was picturing a huge steak or something.
I don't mean to joke but I don't want people to confuse what I am
describing with foaming at the mouth.  I wiped his mouth and he stopped
and he was fine.  Also, I noticed when we play for an extended period of
time he starts to slow down his walking and it looks like he is in slow
motion.  Does anyone think this is arthritis?  I am so concerned.  I have
made him a vet appointment but if anyone could shed some light I would
be greatly appreciative.  Are these further symptoms of adrenal even
though the tests came back negative?  Is this something else someone
has encountered?  (And no, he has NOT been exposed to any other ferrets,
just my dog who is completely vaccinated and is always restrained when
around Abe or kept separated from Abe).
 
Help!
Thank you,
Stephanie and Abe Chop
[Posted in FML issue 5377]