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ABSCESSES

Abscesses are localized infections that generally result from puncture wounds. They are filled with pus and are painful. Ferrets can develop abscesses, especially after receiving skin wounds such as bites or around the jaw and throat from tooth infections or injury by bone fragment. They can also occur on sites of injections. Anal and virginal abscesses can also be caused by foreign bodies such as hay seeds and barley awn.

Symptoms: Swelling, draining tracts, and fever.

Treatment: Abscesses will need to be lanced and drained by a vet, followed by a course of antibiotics. Ferrets can become ill with septicemia, if not treated.

ALOPECIA / BALDING / HAIR LOSS / RAT TAIL
Ferrets can during their lifetime suffer from alopecia for a variety of reasons, some of these being
Adrenal problems. this is serious view more details >Allergy to flea bites. Often associated with itching and scatching, generally adult fleas are not seen on affected ferrets but flea dirt's may be seen. Treatment: Obtain suitable flea treatment from your vet (note some off the shelf dog/cat flea reatments can irritate/burn ferrets).Moulting in Spring, Late Summer/Autumn. Hair loss due to molting is usually gradual, but in the spring, some ferrets shed their whole coat overnight, leaving them with almost no hair for several days. Sometimes the guard hairs (the longer surface hair with the distinctive color) are shed first, leaving only the woollier, pale yellow undercoat. The hair may come out in patches, giving the ferret a moth-eaten appearance. This is normal, and within days, shiny new guard hair can be seen coming up through the undercoat.Breeding season alopecia. A common condition seen in both sexes although more common in the jill. It occurs typically from March to August with the coat growing back in the autumn. The hair loss is symmetrical affecting the tail, perineum, belly, rump and occasionally the feet and around the eyes. The ferrets are otherwise healthy.Hormonal Imbalance / Hyperoestrogenism. Being in heat for too long (prolonged oestrus) in unsterilized females, i.e. entire jills. Symptoms: are generally loss of weight, pale mucous membranes, evidence of bleeding on mucous membranes and a swollen vulva. The ferret will be generally very ill not eating and obviously systemically ill rather than just losing hair. The alopecia is due to oestrogen toxicity and is symmetrical involving the flanks, medial thighs and rump which progresses cranially. Treatment can involve blood transfusions and often repeated and surgery and may not be successful.Rat Tail (aka Tail Alopecia) is where the tail begins to look like a rat's tail, with scaly skin, sparse, bristly hair, and blackheads. This is a harmless condition with no known causes. Aloevera gel works works well to wipe off the black heads.

ANAL GLAND IMPACTION
This is a condition that occurs in undescented ferrets when the opening of the anal gland is blocked or if a bacterial infection has caused the glands to produce thick, turgid material that is difficult to pass.

Symptoms: You may notice one or two round lumps (depending if one or both of the glands are affected) on either side of the anal opening. A ferret may “scoot” his butt on the floor, if the impaction is irritating him, but usually most ferrets don’t seem to be bothered by this condition. Sometimes the gland will rupture. This may occur near the anal gland opening or even through the anal wall. This can be serious as it leaves a wide entrance for bacteria and infection may result.

Treatment: In early stages warm compresses held against the glands are sometimes effective or your veterinarian may be able to express the glands at his/ her office. If neither of these procedures works, or if your ferret is prone to chronic anal gland impaction, then surgical removal of the gland is recommended. For a ruptured gland, surgery is necessary and you may want to have both glands removed at the same time for convenience.

Prevention: There is no real prevention to this problem other than removal of the anal glands. Since this is not a frequent problem, we do not recommend the routine removal of anal glands in ferrets. Checking your pet’s glands regularly and detecting impaction early can help prevent ruptures or infection.

APLASTIC ANEMIA - This is a common cause of death of unspayed, non-breeding females.
This condition occurs when high levels of oestrogen are produced during the “heat” cycle and suppress the production of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow. Advanced cases are irreversible and death occurs from the severe anemia and secondary bacterial infections that set in (pyometra).

Symptoms: May be seen in jills that have been in heat for 1 month or longer. Outward signs may include an extremely swollen vulva, lethargy, hind limb weakness, loss of appetite, spotty or complete hair loss (do not confuse this with patterned hair loss caused by adrenal disease), and in some advanced cases a sour smell and turgid discharge from the vulva. Close examination may show the gums to be pale and sometimes even the nose, ears and pads on the feet will lose color.

Treatment: The ferret should be taken to a vet immediately. A complete blood count (CBC) should be taken to determine the severity of the anemia. If the condition is caught early, the ferret may be spayed to prevent reoccurrence of the problem. Moderate anemia may require multiple blood transfusions and other supportive care prior to surgery. If the condition is advanced, there is no treatment since at that point it is irreversible. In such cases euthanasia is recommended.

Prevention: Any jill that is not going to be used for breeding should be spayed. Jills that are going to be used for breeding at a later date may be taken out of heat with the hormone HCG, but this should be used only as a temporary measure as many jills quickly go back into heat a few weeks after receiving the injection. Some breeders use vasectomized hobs to bring jills out of heat, but this method is sometimes unreliable.

BLADDER STONES. Bladder stones form in the urinary bladder when minerals such as magnesium, ammonium, phosphorus and calcium precipitate out of the urine. These minerals form crystals. The crystals then join together and form stones. The stones can be very small like tiny specs of sand or quite large like a pebble. In some cases only one stone forms, but in others numerous small stones develop.

Three different types of bladder stones are known to occur in ferrets, and each has a different cause.Three main factors cause struvite stones: diet , urinary pH and bacterial infections of the bladderThe two main factors that lead to oxalate stones are diet and pH of the urine.Cystine stones are uncommon and uniquely different. These stones are a result of a genetic defect in the kidneys.

Symptoms: Straining to urinate, vocalising in pain when urinating, urinating small amounts frequently, dribbling urine, wet fur around the prepuce or vulva, and discoloration of the urine. Occasionally the ferret will be totally unable to urinate and rapidly becomes lethargic and depressed.

Treatment: Once a bladder stone has been found, surgery is normally undertaken to remove it. The surgery is usually a relatively simple procedure in ferrets unless the stone is located in the urethra. Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids will be used to produce and dilute the urine. This helps to flush out the bladder. An antibiotic is also used to clear up any bladder infection.

They type of stone will then need to be identified and an appropriate diet change made to prevent future stone formation. ~
If the stone is a
struvite stone, then two things need to be adjusted. The protein source of the diet needs to be changed to a high-quality meat-based protein, and the pH of the urine needs to be lowered. If the diet change does not lower the urinary pH, then a urinary acidifier like dl-methionine can be added to the diet.calcium oxalate stone, then the protein in the diet needs to be changed to a high-quality meat-based protein. Plant-based protein must be eliminated to prevent oxalate from being excreted into the urine. In some cases, potassium citrate may be needed to raise the pH of the urine.cystine stone, then a reduction in protein is needed to reduce the amount of cystine in the diet and in the urine.

Specialized diets for the various types of bladder stones are available for dogs and cats, but there are no diets specifically made for ferrets with bladder stones. Cystine stones are tricky because ferrets require a high protein diet for maintenance, but need a low protein diet to avoid forming more cystine stones.

Prevention:When a ferret eats a diet with mainly plant-based protein (such as some cat foods), the pH of the urine rises above the normal range. A pH above 6.4 can cause struvite crystals and stones to form. This is why it is so important to feed a high-quality, meat-based ferret food or kitten food instead of a low-quality, plant-based non-ferret food.Bacterial bladder infections from Staphylococcus or Proteus species can raise the urine pH to 8 or above. Struvite stones can form in less than one day when the pH is that high. Bladder infections are most common in unneutered jills during the breeding season and during pregnancy, and in ferrets with adrenal gland disease. Thus, it is important to use an appropriate antibiotic as soon as possible if a ferret has a bladder infection.Cystine stones are formed from calcium and oxalate, so a ferret should avoid a diet with excessive calcium and oxalate. Other items to avoid include treats like milk, cheese and dairy products. Also, avoid supplements that contain excess calcium.

If you have any questions about this information, please contact your vet.