4 Common Types Of Ferret Diseases
Your baby ferret may not need regular medical care but once it reaches about 3 years medical care becomes a priority. This is because your ferret may now be prone to many disease causing bacteria and viruses. So a bi-yearly checkup should be implemented. Most ferrets’ diseases if diagnoses early can be treated but if left unattended can be fatal to your fuzzy friend. The root cause of most ferret disease are a result poor nutrition so if you decide to raise a ferret then the responsibility is upon you as a ferret parent to be informed about these are and how to provide the best care for your pet.
Probably the most common ferret disease is the insulinoma which is a type of tumor present on the pancreas. This disease affects the ferret by the tumor producing an overabundance of insulin causing hyperglycemia. Like most tumor surgery is the only recourse the remedying the problem. If it is left untreated then the tumor can become malignant and kill your pet.
Some other common ferret diseases are described below:
Intestinal Disorders and Blockage
Intestinal diseases are the result of your ferret ingesting a foreign object such as a rubber band, fabric (maybe their bedding), hairball. Symptoms of the disease may include diarrhea, constipation, bloating drooling, heaving or vomiting.
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (Green Slime Disease)
This disease damage to the intestinal lining or mucosa of the ferret causing inflammation and infection. Symptoms of this disease are diarrhea, excess mucosa, dehydration and in severe cases intestinal ulceration and bleeding.
Adrenal Disease
Another common type of ferret disease is the adrenal disease. This is result of the adrenal glands producing an abnormal amount of adrenal hormones which enter the bloodstream. Symptoms of the disease include hair loss, and swollen vulva in the females. In males they may experience difficulty during urination.
Lymphoma or lymphosarcoma
This is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The two types are, "classic" and juvenile. Classic lymphoma occurs in older ferrets and causes enlarged lymph nodes and irregularities in the blood cell count, but often the ferret doesn't show any outward signs until the disease has progressed pretty far, at which point the ferret suddenly gets very sick. Conclusive diagnosis is by aspiration or biopsy of a lymph node, and treatment is chemotherapy. Juvenile lymphoma is completely different. It affects ferrets under 14 months, doesn't generally caused enlarged lymph nodes, and hits very hard and fast.
If you see that your ferret is having these signs, consult with your veterinarian immediately
