Green slime - smells and looks like fish glue along with projectile vomiting

You may notice that the ferret is or has been restless and irritable, sometimes digging frantically in bedding or litter box. Also, it may aggravate other cage mates. Fast for 24 hours, feeding Pedialyte + water. Ferrets dehydrate very quickly so it is essential to start fluids right away and keep them warm and quiet.

Runny yellow/gold diarrhea (sometimes bubbly)

Many times this is the second stage, but often times this can be the first stage with little or no green slime. Because of this, many ferret owners and vets are not recognizing it as E.C.E. Keep feeding Pedialyte/water mix, leaving in water bottle and a bowl. Some ferrets do not have enough strength to drink from a bottle.

Start ferret on soft food diet, i.e. Science Diet A/D plus baby food, or baby food (chicken) alone. Coax the ferret to lick from your finger then encourage it to eat from a small, shallow bowl. If it refuses, feed by syringe. Start out with 10-20cc's every 3 hours. Increase up to 30-40cc's three times a day. It is essential that your ferret eats.

Your veterinarian should be consulted and advised of your ferret's status as subcutaneous or intravenous fluids may be necessary if it refuses to eat! There is a considerable amount of water in soft foods, so you may notice a decrease in water intake.

DO NOT BE FOOLED! Check frequently by pinching the scruff of the neck. If the skin does not snap right back but sticks together, your ferret could be dehydrated. If necessary, call your vet to administer fluids.

Your ferret may be extremely lethargic for at least 48 hours with eyes narrowed and watery. Many times ferrets sleep right next to the litter box for frequent defecation. Please keep the box clean and sanitized! Always keep warm blankets or towels nearby as body temperature drops with dehydration.

If diarrhea continues, consult your veterinarian for the type of medication and amount to be given, i.e. Pepto Bismo, Pepcid AD, Immodium AD. After 48 hours, many ferrets seem to recover. Once again, DO NOT BE FOOLED. This is the most crucial period! If the poop returns to normal and the ferret is once again eating hard food, decrease soft food feeding to 25cc, twice a day. Many young ferrets and healthy ones will heal rapidly, however, BE ALERT FOR THE NEXT STAGE.

Golden piles of jelly containing grainy material that looks like birdseed

Unmistakable! Once again, you may never see the other two stages, but if you see this stage, GREAT DANGER EXISTS. At this point the ferret is not digesting its food and more than likely, it is not eating but using up its own stored body fat, hence a rapid decline in weight, not noticed sometimes until 10 days to 2 weeks after onset of E.C.E.

Keeping the ferret hydrated and feeding the soft food diet is imperative. Be ever watchful.

Grinding of the teeth

If grinding of teeth is evident when feeding, more than likely ulcers are present, preventing the ferret from eating. We found Carafate liquid, 1cc given about 1 hour before feeding, to be very effective. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN