Those are "lipid balls" They are a combination mostly of fats and
sometimes grains. All they mean if they happen occasionally is that
the ferret ate a bit too much fat or oil and the small intestine could
not process all of it.

If they happen regularly then a person begins looking at diet or
wondering if the ferret has contracted an illness like ECE which
reduces the ability to process lipids (fats/oils) or has another
problem reducing the ability to digest well such as too little bile
going to the intestinal tract, IBD, etc.

Since it is happening only occasionally reduce the amounts of fatty
treats and see what happens.

Yes, a temporary illness could also reduce the ability to digest fats
well short term. Fats are among the hardest things to digest which is
why a very fatty diet that doesn't go so over the top as to cause
irritation (and then runs) will actually slow digestion. That is one
reason why fats are not good for hairball removal.

Yes, ferrets get allergies. They also get bacterial sinus infections
(antibiotics needed), pneumonia (ditto), things stuck up their noses,
sinus tumors sometimes, tooth root infections into their sinuses, etc.
Canine distemper can look like an upper respiratory infection early on,
too. What they do not get are rhinoviruses, so they don't get colds.
Don't take my word for that; see past posts of one of the world's top
ferret veterinary pathologists -- perhaps the top one -- Dr. Bruce
Williams such as these (which I think may also include one from a
ferret clinical vet:

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG4053
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG1618
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG10945
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG9530
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG4054
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG2137

Sue, never change meds without the vet saying to, please, and have that
vet appointment NOW.

You want to check to see if it is fat or if it is ascites, how the
blood glucose is holding up on a professional meter, and if it is too
low then if diazoxide (Proglycem) will work to replace some of the med.

If there is ascites then heart imaging and an EKG (ECG) make sense to
look for cardiomyopthy or for A/V Heart Node Block (which seems to at
times go with insulinoma). There are meds to reduce the level of each
illness but they do need updating over time just as meds for insulinoma
do.

If it is ascites but the heart is fine then you need to consider that
the illness in pancreas might be lymphoma instead of insulinoma and
might also be in the kidneys, liver, or both organ types, and look for
less common causes of ascites. In such a situation doing a CBC AND
doing a Chem Panel are among the things that make sense.

So, while, it might just be from the Prednisolone it may not be.

Also, remember that if it is fat and the ferret is getting a pear
shape -- fat abdomen and bony chest that can indicate the presence
of adrenal disease. There are surgical and medical options for that.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6092]