QUESTION:
We have a ferret approximately 4 years in age. We have noticed that in the last couple of days he has been sleeping more and when he does get up he goes to his litter box and vomits. The vomiting started yesterday morning. His fur has turned a white color on the back and lower legs. He is still having normal bowel movements. He still eats but smaller portions and is still drinking his normal amount! What could be causing this change? What can we do to help him feel better?

ANSWER:
First of all the white color of the fur could be a winter 'undercoat' or just a change with age, it is nothing to worry about. However the vomit should be of great concern! Ferrets do not vomit unless there is an obstruction in the gut, could he have eaten something that might have got stuck in there? Or could he have a hairball from shedding?

Do you have a ferret knowledgeable vet close by, as I would take him in for an X-ray, it will show if there is an obstruction, usually by lots of gas, if not your vet can do a barium swallow to see.

The other reason may be because he has hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), he could be sleeping too long and not eating regularly which causes his blood glucose to drop and he will feel nauseated. Since you said he is vomiting, is it food or just mucous? If the latter, it could well be low blood sugar. Your vet would need to do a blood test to check, if it is then he may need to go on medicine and be fed a supplemental diet of babyhood to keep his blood glucose leveled off.

Either problem means a vet visit and the sooner you can get to one, the better for your ferret. Ferrets go downhill very quickly and it sounds as if he is on a downward spiral already.

QUESTION:
I have a female ferret, she is about 1.5 years old. She has always been very hyper but over the last few weeks she seems to sleep a lot more and doesn't have the energy she used to. Sometimes when I take her out to play she just curls up and goes to sleep. also she was sick to her stomach twice in about a three day period (threw up a bit of food and water). That was about 4 days ago now and she hasn't been sick since. She is eating, drinking, and pooping as usual. I took her to a vet, the only one in town. He says he has a lot of experience with ferrets, and he said her heart, breathing, temp, and spleen were all fine. No lumps or bumps that he could feel. I have noticed that her hair on the tail is a bit thinner but defiantly not bald. Pretty much just the softer fuzz underneath the longer hair is gone, but it is easier to see. The skin underneath the hair on the rest of her body is normal. I have just finished school and my roommate had a ferret also and we kept them together. They were really close...now that I have finished school and separated from my roommate I thought I would get another ferret (male he is about 11 weeks old now) to keep her company. I have been slowly introducing them. I'm not sure if this is causing her to act like this because of increased stress, or if there is some other underlying cause?


ANSWER:
Your ferret could be suffering the stress of losing a companion, it is very common, however the vomiting is not! Could she have eaten anything that might cause an obstruction, that is the most common reason for vomiting? Sometimes an obstruction can float in the stomach, and every so often block the pyloris and hence the vomiting. Did your vet check her blood, especially her 'blood glucose', if low (hypoglycemia) this is a very common cause for intermittent vomiting? Is she eating regularly, as you mentioned she is sleeping more than usual? If this is the case the blood glucose will dip and she may be too tired to eat and hence the glucose falls even lower causing nausea.

Other reason could be the new ferret may have brought in some parasites and therefore you may want to have the vet do a fecal, to make sure it is not the problem. Baby ferrets do not usually show signs of illness, however the older ferret may succumb to something that the kit brought along. Hope this may help