Dear Tina,
 
Thank you for your timely post and, once again, bringing up a very
important topic: Heartworms in ferrets.  (No doubt you'll also be receiving
a response from Mike Janke, our Club Secretary, down in Miami....)
 
YES!!!!  Ferrets are susceptible to heartworms....and ALL of Florida is
"high risk" (as are most of the Southern states).  Particularly, the
various pets in South Florida (ferrets/dogs/cats) because mosquitos are
active year-round (the northern states at least have a yearly die-off of
mosquitos during the winter months).
 
Please visit Mike's Ferret Health Care website:
http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC
 
Although the site is primarily for Adrenal/Insulinoma information, please
go to the subsection on Heartworms.  There is article was written by ferret
specialist, Deborah Kemmerer, DVM, who is our Branch Shelter vet up here in
NE FLorida (Dr. K's hospital is just outside Gainesville, and there is a
link to her website at the Heartworms article).
 
Please be warned that we have posted graphic necropsy photos from one of
the ferrets surrendered to our Shelter.  THOMAS had quite a heavy load of
heartworms; he was such a sweet boy and his early, needless death could
have been prevented if his previous owners had just put him on heartworm
preventative (which costs only pennies a month for ferrets!).
 
Due to the high risk of heartworm infestation even up here in northernmost
Florida, our Shelter goes to the additional expense to do a bloodtest for
heartworm detection on every ferret we receive; and, sad to say, many ARE
heartworm positive.
 
Another very sad story happened last month---I received a call from a man
wanting to know why I thought his ferret was "panting" heavily (like a
dog)...once I questioned him I found that he kept SASSY in an outdoor cage
and she'd never been to a vet.  I suggested it "may" be heartworms (as well
as flea induced anemia as he said, "Yes, she had fleas" and "Yeah, her gums
were almost white) and strongly encouraged him to take her to the vet--if
only for a humane ending to her obvious distress.  Nah, he didn't want to
spend any $$$$ on a ferret; said he figured she'd "just die in a day or two
anyway".
 
Well, one of my terrific volunteers who lives quite a bit closer to this
guy than I do, called him back and offered to take SASSY from him and get
her the veterinary care she so desperately needed.  He was seemingly happy
to be "rid of her".  Well, SASSY was still panting heavily when she was
surrendered, only to die within two hours of being at my volunteer's
home...before he could even get her to the vet.
 
Dr. Kemmerer did a necropsy.  And, sure enough, Heartworms!  And not just
"a few".....poor little 3-year-old SASSY's heart was PACKED FULL of
heartworms....her entire left ventricle was so full it was hard to imagine
any blood being able to get through!  Dr. K said she'd NEVER seen that many
heartworms in a ferret's heart (and Dr. K has seen thousands of ferret
patients over the years)...Dr. K estimated probably five to six times what
you will see in THOMAS's photos on Mike's website.  (I took photos; hoping
to add to the current photos on the website, but these didn't come out
clear enough.  DARN!)
 
Each of our Shelter ferrets is on monthly preventative; and anyone adopting
from us is strongly encouraged to continue the treatment.  Please read Dr.
K's copyrighted article on Mike's website....and encourage your vet to do
so, too.  Her article is quite informative.
 
All it takes is ONE MOSQUITO to get into your house during the year; and if
your ferrets spend time with you outdoors, all the MORE reason to protect
them from a potentially "fatal" mosquito bite.  Why gamble with your
ferret(s) life?  Your veterinarian is on the right track to help your
ferrets live long, healthy lives.  I encourage everyone to get your fuzzies
on heartworm preventative now!
 
For The Ferrets,
 
Barbara Ludt, Director
NE Florida Branch/South Florida Ferret Club & Rescue, Inc.
 
Visit our Shelter website:   http://www.miamiferret.org
Ferret Health Care website:   http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC
 
Help raise Funds for our Shelter ferrets--just click on this link:
 
       http://www.iGive.com/html/ssi.cfm?cid=3664&mid+29938
[Posted in FML issue 2677]