The Ferret Hotel

When having your ferrets neutered, ring around as the prices might shock you. We pay about £33.50 to have a hob castrated and we have most of are ferrets done at 28 weeks, 6-7 months. For a jill you will pay more. Prices can range anywhere from £40-£50+. Again, we have ours done at 6-7months. A vasectomy will cost a bit more from around £50+. You can have your jills jill jabbed and that will also bring them out off oestrus, but will only last a couple of weeks and if your jill comes into oestrus more than once a year you will have to pay again. So in the long run it would be better to have her spayed or put with a vasectomized hob. Some clubs loan out a vasectomized hob to club members, but just remember ferrets can also carry std's so just be careful.

Abscesses

Ferrets seem to develop abscesses, especially after skin wounds such as bites or around the jaw and throat from tooth infections or injury by bone fragment. Therehave also been cases of anal and virginal abscesses caused by foreign bodies such as hay seeds and barley awn. TreatmentAbscesses should be lanced and drained, followed by a course of antibiotics. Ferrets can become ill with septicaemia, if not treated. Please see a vet.

Aleutians Disease

This disease gets its name from the Aleutian strain of mink in the USA. It was frist discovered in 1956 and the disease is caused by a slow parvovirus. This disease has been recorded in ferrets in North America and New Zealand, and was frist recognized in the uk in 1990. There is circumstantial evidence of a link with the mink. In several cases in Southern England infected colonies have included stray ferrets found in areas where feral mink were present. The disease was known to be present in mink farms in Britain. Symptoms can include weight loss, wasting, thirst, black tarry poo, bleeding from the gums and what we call going off their legs. Isolation is very important, Apparently there is no cure as yet.

Alopecia

This can happen for many reasons. Jills left in season to long, hobs in the breeding season, pregnancy, blocked anal glands, adrenal disease and too many eggs in the ferrets diet.

Balding

Hair loss on a ferret's tail is quite common during the summer months. Dont worry about it they will have a fine covering of hair again when they get their winter coats. Ferrets in general can look a bit scraggy compared to the winter months.

Botulism

Ferrets are very susceptible to type c botulism. They can become very ill in 12-96 hours after eating contaminated food. Limpness may be followed by paralysis of the respiratory muscles and death. There is no successful treatment. If you feed ferrets on fresh meat make sure it is at room temperature and during summer months feed at night and remove the following mornig.

Bone Marrow Disease

Jills that are left in prolonged oestrus(season) can develop bone marrow disease and die very young. Having your jills spayed at 6 months old will cut out this risk

Endoparasites

Such as worms (round worm/tapeworm). The ferret can pick these parasites up from the food they eat, other pets and fleas. If you suspect your ferret have worms consult your veterinary surgeon for suitable worming treatment. If you are worming your other pets you may want to make routine treatment for your ferret as well.

Ectoparasite

 Such as fleas, ear mites and ticks. Veterinary treatment should be sought for treatments that will kill the parasites. Frontline spray is used to kill fleas and ticks.  Most medications are not licensed for ferrets due to lack of studies.  We have been using Frontline on our ferrets for 6 years now and have never had any problems.

Ticks can be removed using a tick picker but care should be taken. If you leave the head of the tick in your ferret it can cause a foreign body reaction.

Ear mites should be treated as soon as possible to prevent inner ear problems. Symptoms of an ear mite infestation include a dark waxy exudate in the ear canal, itching and soreness of the ear. Stronghold 15mg spot on can be used but can work out very expensive if treating a number of ferrets. Your vet may choose to use eardrops to drown the mites such as Canural or olive oil. (Please dont put frountline flee spray down your ferrets ears)

Pyometra

is an infected uterus filled with pus. This condition can occur during a pseudo pregnancy (phantom pregnancy). It may also occur after mating with a vasectomised hob, failed pregnancy or having the Jill jab. Clinical signs include anorexia, toxaemic, depression and there may be a smelly vaginal discharge (if there is no discharge it may mean the ferret has a closed pyometra). The uterus can usually be felt on examination as being enlarged. If pyometra is suspected then immediate veterinary treatment should be sort. Fluid therapy can be administered in severe cases before anaesthesia. When the ferret is stable the uterus will be removed under anaesthetic. The best way to prevent this from occurring is to have your Jills speyed.

Respiratory infections

Ferrets with upper respiratory infections (colds) cannot breathe well through their noses and often eat poorly. They can't smell the food and it's hard to swallow with blocked nostrils. The ferret's nose must first be cleaned so that he can breathe. Then add water to his favorite pellets, microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften the food, stir it well, and give it to the ferret warm. Heating makes the odor stronger and the softer texture is often accepted by sick ferrets. Mixing with chicken broth instead of water also increases palatability.

Bladder stones

Ferrets fed generic cat foods containing mainly plant protein are particularly susceptible to bladder stones. Digestion of protein produces chemical compounds that must be excreted in the urine. The products formed from the digestion of plant proteins make the urine alkaline. Magnesium salts form struvite crystals in alkaline urine, and stones form when crystals accumulate and stick together. These cause complete obstruction and death in untreated male ferrets, and chronic problems with partial obstruction in females.Eating meat protein makes the urine more acidic, and reduces the likelihood of bladder stones forming. Urinary tract infections increase susceptibility to stones. Ferrets with bladder infections should be fed the best quality meat protein possible.

Worms

Ferrets can be treated for worms by using Panacur wormer, especially if you feed your ferrets rabbit, but you must always cheack with a vet before administering any medication so you can give the ferret the right doose.

Diarrhoea

can be caused by many things such as - to many dairy products - contaminated food - change of diet - to
much veg - poisoning and worms.It is always best to contact a Vet just incase the diarrhoea is connected
to a more serious illness.

Ears

Check your ferret's ears regularly.Clean them gently with animal or baby wipes never use an earbud.If your
ferret should hold it's head to one side or has black tarry wax in the ear this could suggest an ear infection or
ear mites.If your ferret shakes his head and continually scratches it's ear this could suggest a foreign body
such as a hay seed.Contact a Vet for advice and never use eardrops unless the Vet has approved them.

Heatstroke

Ferrets can die very quickly from heatstroke so to avoid it by making sure their pens are NOT in direct
sunlight especially in the Summer.Your ferret will become limp and lifeless so put his feet into cold water
to reduce their temperature and consult a Vet.You will need to obtain from your Vet medication to replace
electrolytes.You could always get some and keep it in for the Summer months just in case.

(Thankyou to Rose Morris of Mercia Ferret Welfare for letting us use this infomation, you can find Mercia at http://www.mercia41@freeserve.co.uk)