While it could be early MegaE, if his dilative cardiomyopathy has
the heart large enough it could be causing the dsyphagia (impaired
swallowing) by impinging on the esophagus. Ruffle was like that from
dilated (hyperplastic) cardiomyopathy and a heart tumor long ago. A
rare cause in ferrets appears to be chordoma of the neck. Botulism
contaminated food has also been documented as a rare cause of dysphagia
in ferrets (usually rare meats in the case of ferrets but I could
imagine ones who share people food getting it from some uncooked other
things if contaminated, for example:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/newera.html .
Myofasciititis could do it, but I have not heard of any recent reports
of that.

As with humans who have dysphagia there is a real increased risk of
aspiration pneumonia.

Also, as with humans, it helps swallowing to make fluids thicker and
solids thinner. So move to having the fluids mixed with pureed foods.
For humans bubbles in fluids or fiber thickeners are also used. Ruffle
used to also get Sustical which was like Ensure and that helped her
greatly. Sometimes you just do whatever works. For humans the solids
are also made softer and easier to break apart so scrambled eggs,
pureed meats coked in ways that they appear solid but actually break
up easily, etc. She was someone who had multiple deformations and
developed a number os serious conditions, most of them terminal ones,
in her final months.

There is a lot on dysphagia on the internet.

This may also be of use for you because the possibility of simple
nausea has to be eliminated from the equation if not yet throughly
done:

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL2433
BEGIN QUOTE
For ferret's with dilated cardiomyopathy a few things are recommended.
An ACE inhibitor such as benazepril or enalapril (Enacard), a diuretic
like furosemide (lasix), and a medication to increase the strength of
the heart contraction such as Vetmedin (pimobendan) or Digoxin.
As far as doses for ferrets with benazepril a dose of 0.25 mg
to 0.5 mg/kg every other day to once a day.
For furosemide a dose of 1 to 4 mg/kg 2 to 3 times a day.
For Vetmedin a dose of 0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg 2 times a day.
It sounds like your little guy is getting too much of the benazepril.
Pawing at the mouth is common with stomach ulcers, insulinomas and any
thing else that causes nausea.
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM
END QUOTE

The topic of dysphagia doesn't come up much but is a VERY good one to
have in the FML Archives for when it does.

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 5927]