To Heather Jane Bilicki:
 
Thick urine is not uncommon in ferrets.  While normal urine is generally
bright yellow and watery, the thickness and color of urine varies greatly
betewwen ferrets, even between urinations in a single ferret.  Viscosity of
urine is dependent on how much water the n animal is drinking.  If a ferret
isn't drinking, the urine will be thick, because the body is loath to release
any water.  If the ferret has been drinking a lot - the urine will be copius
and almost clear.  Another thing that affects the density of the urine you
find is how long it has been sitting there.  Even a couple of minutes will
cause urine to be darker and more viscous.  While some forms of kidney stones
will cause a more viscous urine, this is uncommon and is usually accompanied
by other signs, increased frequency and blood in the urine.
 
On your other question - indoor ferrets will shed too.  It is not so much the
temperature that causes the shedding, but the length of the day and the
amount of light vs.  dark.  But since so many ferrets are indoors now, ferret
can shed almost any time of the year (although spring and fall are the most
common times.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM  [log in to unmask]  OR  [log in to unmask]
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP              Department of Veterinary Pathology
[log in to unmask]               Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]             Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
(202) 782-2600/2602
[Posted in FML issue 1171]