Jodie, an enlarged spleen may be caused by a long term infection or
reaction These may be sub-clinical, ie there is no outward sign of
anything amiss, such as raised temperature, or redness.

The first thing I always think of is *teeth*. Sometimes if you (or a
vet) simply lift a ferret's lip to check the back teeth, you will see
white teeth and pink gums. This does not mean that there are no dental
problems. A more thorough investigation would be needed, perhaps under
sedation, to see if the teeth and surrounding bone are compromised in
any way.

The second thing I think of these days is IBD. It was only recently
that a person mentioned that, as a vegetarian, she ate lots of bread.
She suffered what was first diagnosed as IBD, and then later, as a
glutin intolerence directly caused by overindulging in the "staff of
life". It makes me wonder if, sometimes, the grain in kibble causes
the same thing in ferrets. My vets consider it very plausible, but do
not see it often enough to be able to look into it further. It would
be great if US vets who see many such cases, would suggest a total
glutin-free diet to see if there is any improvement or cure.

I think your vet may be right.

Cheers,
Shirley

[Posted in FML 5407]