Ferrets with severe dehydration and diarrhea might be suffering from a possible new strain of epizootic catarrhal enteritis. By Marylou Zarbock Posted: December 24, 2008, 4. p.m. EST In mid-December, Dr. Ruth Heller of the Borderbrook Animal Hospital in Murraysville, Pennsylvania, posted to the Ferret Health List on the Internet about a mysterious new illness in ferrets that might possibly be a new strain of epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE). Heller is also a ferret breeder. She reported that many of her ferrets recently became ill and 11 have died. Since her posting, some other ferret owners now say they believe their ferrets also suffered this mysterious ailment and some ferrets have died. Reports on this illness are anecdotal and vary, some going as far back as this summer. Right now, it’s not known what the disease is or how it is spread. With reports from Heller and others, the hope is to get these questions answered so ferret owners and veterinarians know what to look for in pet ferrets or how to possibly prevent this illness. Signs And Treatment According to Heller, the signs of this illness include extreme dehydration. “The hallmark of this disease is the immense dehydration. These ferrets are like chunks of wood, they are so dry,” Heller said. Heller stated that other signs seen in her group of ferrets are: 1) Going from a “happy, healthy, bouncy ferret to cold/flat/extremely dehydrated ferret with or without bloody diarrhea in the span of less than eight hours” 2) Extreme difficulty rehydrating. Heller said that some of the ferrets she’s treating require 200 or more cc of fluids per day 3) Appetite is variable — some ferrets eat on their own, others don’t 4) Diarrhea is copious, liquid and progresses to bloody 5) No vomiting was noted 6) The diarrhea is not green, as is usual with normal cases of ECE 7) Death can be as rapid as eight hours after first onset of clinical signs 8) Some ferrets experienced a bit of diarrhea, but have not shown the other signs and have recovered uneventfully Heller contacted a couple of veterinary pathologists about this, and their best guess is that this is a mutated strain of ECE, but this is not confirmed. Test results are pending to confirm if this is indeed the case. Tests already completed have ruled out bacterial infection and Coccidia. Heller also reported the following on other test results. “We do know that it is not: Helicobacter infection, no evidence of Helicobacter was found in the tissue when histopathology was done; Or Aleutian Disease, nothing typical of that, and my household is tested every six months since we show and breed; Fecal cultures were negative; Fecal analysis was negative; Bloodwork [showed] anemia, low platelets, non-clotting blood in later stages, elevation of kidney values, moderately low blood sugar, normal to slightly low albumin, normal liver values.” “Post-mortem exams on these ferrets don't show all that much other than gastrointestinal inflammation and some ulceration,” Heller said. Several severely affected ferrets have been treated successfully by Heller. Her treatment involves aggressive fluid therapy, IV if possible or lots of subcutaneous fluids, together with the medications she lists here. “Carafate every two to three hours; an antibiotic — amoxi, clavamox, baytril, clindamycin are all ones we've tried; possibly metronidazole, although it doesn't seem to make a big difference in the ones it's been used in so far; omeprazole; and Tamiflu.” Heller said she hasn’t lost any ferrets since starting Tamiflu and recommends any household where this illness appears to put all ferrets in the household on Tamiflu. Concerns For Ferret Owners What does all this mean to ferret owners? If your ferret develops diarrhea, should you rush it to the veterinarian? Heller said no, not unless the ferret has diarrhea for more than a day. She believes owners won’t confuse a bout of the flu with this illness because the signs of this illness are so severe. “Their entire appearance changes, and they are flat/depressed and cold.” Heller said. “We had one with a temperature of 92 [degrees Fahrenheit] when we found him; he had been completely normal less than eight hours previously. The diarrhea is massive, and usually bloody, although not always.” Although the cause of this illness and its method of spreading isn’t yet known, Heller recommends that ferret owners stay away from other ferrets. If owners do come in contact with other ferrets, she said they should change clothes and shower before touching their own ferrets. If a ferret does seem to have this illness, Heller wants people to be sure to have their vet consider ECE, even if the ferret isn’t suffering green diarrhea. However, she warned that people shouldn’t automatically jump to the conclusion that this mystery disease is the culprit. “There are lots of other diseases out there to watch for. Sometimes the new disease becomes so much the focus of attention that what's really going on gets missed. Is There A Pattern Barb Clay of Rocky’s Ferret Rescue And Shelter in Maryland hasn’t had any ferrets fall ill, but she’s on an Internet forum that’s discussing this situation. She sent a post to The Ferret Mailing List about a website created by Stephanie Richmond to track confirmed and suspected cases of this illness. “By illustrating where the outbreaks are,” Clay said. “we can be more vigilant with our personal and professional practices and work toward containing this bug and minimizing further outbreaks.” |
| Radiation Therapy |
| In veterinary medicine, radiation therapy was first attempted at the beginning of the twentieth century. During the last 50 years, large advances have been made. The use of histopathology, MRI, and CAT scans has resulted in accurate diagnosis of the type and location of tumors. New technology has increased the effectiveness and decreased the side effects and risks of radiation therapy. When is Radiation Therapy Used Radiation therapy can be used in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy to provide permanent control or death of a tumor. It is used for tumors that have not spread to other sites in the body and offers a potential cure for some localized tumors. In other cases, radiation therapy can be used for its palliative effect (relieving the signs of disease). Even if the tumor can not be destroyed, at least shrinking the tumor may improve the quality of life of the animal by reducing pressure, bleeding, or pain. Tumors Commonly Treated With Radiation Therapy Oral tumors and tumors within the nasal cavity often respond well to radiation therapy. Brain tumors have been successfully treated, as have small skin tumors, including some mast cell tumors and squamous cell carcinomas. Lymphoma in both cats and dogs has responded to radiation therapy, and it is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy. The management of bone tumors, including osteosarcoma, has used radiation therapy as part of the regimen. How Radiation Therapy Works Using radiation therapy, beams of photons, electrons, or gamma rays are focused on the tumor. When the photon, electron, or wave hits the nucleus of a cell, it alters it, destroying the ability of the cell to divide and grow. The slower growth rate and ultimate death of the cancer cells causes the tumor to shrink over time. Radiation affects both normal and cancer cells, but the radiation treatment is designed to produce the maximum effect on the tumor and minimize the effect on normal tissue. Types of Radiation Therapy There are many types of radiation therapy. Some radioactive particles can be injected into the body and localize in specific tissues. Radiation therapy using iodine, which collects in the thyroid gland, has been used to treat thyroid disease, such as hyperthyroidism in cats. "Brachytherapy" is the term used to describe the radiation therapy that is administered through radioactive implants. Implants of iridium-192 are the most commonly used. Radioactive wire containing iridium-192 can be placed using a large needle, or through minor surgery. This type of therapy has been used to treat nasal tumors in dogs and fibrosarcomas in cats. Beams of radiation are the type of therapy most people are familiar with. A linear accelerator can be programmed to produce varying levels of photon or electron beams that are focused on a certain area on or within the body. Large orthovoltage machines, which are very large x-ray machines, form beams of electrons. Cobalt-60 machines produce gamma electromagnetic waves. These beams, or waves, are focused on the tumor, and when the actual burst of radiation therapy is over, no radioactivity remains in the body. Beam Radiation Therapy Administration During the treatment, the animal will need to be anesthetized because he cannot move during the procedure. During the first session, the animal is placed on the table. Using radiographs (x-rays), MRIs, and CAT scans, the exact location of the tumor is located. Using mathematical formulas and mapping techniques, the machine is programmed and positioned to focus the beam on the tumor. Various points on the animal's skin may be marked to provide "landmarks" for subsequent treatments. This machine setup usually requires 30-60 minutes. The actual treatment time during the following sessions is very short, and the animal is usually anesthetized for only 10-15 minutes. Radiation Therapy Schedule When administered with curative intent, radiation therapy is given in small fractions over 2-5 weeks, depending on the size and location of the cancer, the pet's general health, and the type of cancer they have. For palliative effects, radiation therapy is given in large fractions, usually once weekly for three weeks. Risks and Side Effects of Radiation Therapy Severe toxic effects of radiation therapy in pet animals are rare, and occur in less than 5% of the animals treated. Because the radiation affects all cells, some normal cells with be killed. Side effects of radiation therapy occur more often with curative attempts, and can be categorized into acute and chronic problems. Acute injuries begin during or shortly after the completion of therapy. They arise in tissues within the radiation therapy field that are growing and dividing rapidly. The most common acute effects are skin problems that mimic a severe sunburn, which sometimes causes the animal to scratch. Since the scratching will further traumatize the skin, medications may be prescribed to reduce the itchiness. Hair loss often occurs at the area where the beam penetrates and leaves the body. The hair will grow back with time, but may be darker or lighter. Oral and nasal tumors may develop a foul odor as they die. Chronic side effects arise from damage to tissues that slowly replace old, dying, or damaged cells (i.e., bone, retina, brain). Because these cells reproduce slowly, it takes a longer period of time for them to be replaced. Clinical syndromes such as the formation of bony sequestra, retinal lesions, and neurologic signs may appear, depending upon the area of the body being treated. If the eye is near the radiation field, a loss of tears (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) or vision may occur. Chronic side effects are dose limiting, meaning the dose of radiation may need to be limited if chronic side effects are observed. Veterinary radiation therapy protocols are designed to minimize long-term problems. There is always a slight risk associated with general anesthesia, but the pet is monitored carefully while it is anesthetized, and the duration of anesthesia is generally short. Prior to radiation therapy, each animal is assessed through laboratory tests and a physical examination. Radiation therapy in pets usually does NOT cause systemic side effects (tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea). Radiation Therapy Cost Depending on the type and number of treatments, radiation therapy may cost $900 - $3,500. The cost is a result of the expensive and complex equipment needed, anesthetic and laboratory costs, and the expertise of the many veterinary health care professionals involved. |
| Mast Cell Tumors |
Mast cell tumors are a common type of skin tumor seen in many domestic animals; in ferrets, the second most common. In ferrets, the tumors are usually benign. They may appear in both males and females, and usually in animals over 3 years of age. Signs of Mast Cell Tumors in Ferrets Mast cell tumors often start as small, flat tumors with a button-shape and a tan color. They are usually found on the body, but may also be present on the toes, eyelids, or tail, and there may be more than one mast cell tumor present. Mast cells contain histamine, which, when released, from the cell, causes redness and itching. (It is histamine which is released as a result of insect bites, and causes the reaction.) As a result, some ferrets will scratch at the tumor, sometimes abrading the surface and causing oozing, crusts, and a scab. Some tumors may be hairless, and others may become thickened. In dogs, mast cell tumors are a significant health risk, often metastasize, and if malignant, have a poor prognosis. Unlike dogs, in ferrets, mast cell tumors are benign, do not pose a significant health risk, and have an excellent prognosis. Mast Cell Tumor Diagnosis A mast cell tumor can not be diagnosed simply from its outward appearance. A biopsy needs to be taken and examined to confirm a diagnosis. Tumors removed prior to a biopsy should be removed entirely and a section of the tumor submitted for microscopic examination. Mast Cell Tumor Treatment In ferrets, mast cell tumors are benign, do not pose a significant health risk, and have an excellent prognosis. Any treatment of a mast cell tumor in a ferret would consist of surgically removing the tumor. Because of the number of other tumors in ferrets that are cancerous, removal of all skin tumors is often recommended. Because of the large amounts of histamine, heparin, and proteolytic enzymes (enzymes which break down protein) present in mast cell tumors, care must be taken not to damage the tumor during removal. In ferrets, mast cell tumors are benign, do not pose a significant health risk, and have an excellent prognosis. |
| Basal Cell Tumors |
| - Basal cell tumors are tumors that arise from cells of the skin (epithelium). They are the most common skin tumor in ferrets, accounting for approximately 40-50% of all cases. They may be found almost anywhere on the skin, and are usually benign (non-cancerous). They have a similar appearance to warts, being white to pink in color, well-delineated (noticeable borders), and sometimes having a "stalk" connecting them to the skin. They grow slowly and do not invade the skin beneath them, however, they can become ulcerated and bleed if traumatized. They are most common in ferrets over 4 years of age. Basal Cell Tumors diagnosis These tumors need to be examined microscopically to confirm the diagnosis. This can be done either through a small biopsy, or by removing the entire tumor and submitting it for examination by a veterinary pathologist. Basal Cell Tumors Treatment Even though benign, these tumors should be treated by surgical removal because they can easily ulcerate or be traumatized. If already ulcerated or infected, antibiotics may be necessary. The prognosis is excellent provided all the tumor is removed at the time of surgery. |
| Insulinomas in the Domestic Ferret |
Insulinomas are tumors of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin drives blood sugar out of the blood and into body cells. When insulin levels are very high, glucose becomes unavailable to the brain, where it is essential for normal function. Ferrets with very high insulin levels become weak or appear to 'faint' when their blood sugar is very low. The attacks become more frequent as the tumor or tumors grow. Very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) causes convulsions, coma, and death. Insulinomas are diagnosed by finding a low glucose level in a fasting blood sample from an apparently normal ferret. Ferrets that have been showing signs of hypoglycemia should not be fasted for more than a few hours, and should be observed during this interval, in case they become severely hypoglycemic during the fast. Some older ferrets have both an adrenal gland tumor and insulinomas. The hormones produced by the adrenal tumor may raise blood glucose intermittently, making diagnosis more of a puzzle and protecting the ferret from the effects of the insulinoma. A ferret that has an adrenal gland tumor removed may start showing signs of hypoglycemia a month or more after the surgery. This is because small insulinomas were present at the time of surgery, but the hormones produced by the adrenal gland tumor help to maintain blood sugar at normal levels. When the source of hormone is removed, the signs of hypoglycemia appear. Your veterinarian will examine the ferret's pancreas for tumors at the time of adrenal gland surgery, but very small tumors may be invisible. Diagnosis of insulinoma usually gives the ferret a life expectancy of about a year, whatever the treatment. If the tumors are malignant, they may metastasize to other organs and shorten the animal's life expectancy to a few months. Surgical removal of all obviously abnormal tissue causes instant improvement, but insulinomas often recur. Putting the ferret on an excellent diet and making sure it has nutritious, high-protein, low sugar snacks helps to stabilize its condition. The best therapy for a ferret with a recently diagnosed insulinoma is removal of all visible tumors. If there are many small tumors or some that are not operable, the ferret can be put on daily prednisone, a steroid that helps to stabilize insulin levels. This will extend its quality life-time. Most ferrets will take the liquid, pediatric form of prednisone without a problem. Another drug, diazoxide (trade name Proglycem), stabilizes blood sugar by blocking the action of insulin, but it is very expensive and beyond the means of many owners. Neither drug will prevent metastasis or growth of the tumors. |
| Lymphosarcoma |
| Lymphosarcoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in ferrets. It occurs in both old and very young ferrets. Lymphosarcoma affects the lymph nodes and other lymphatic tissue, for instance in the spleen and liver. It may or may common in other animals and in human beings. Ferrets with lymphosarcoma may suddenly seem lethargic and fail to be as active and playful as usual. They may have recurrent respiratory infections, lose weight, and may have poor appetites. Often an enlarged spleen or lymph node can be felt from the outside of the animal. Your veterinarian will take a biopsy or remove a whole lymph node to decide whether the enlargement has been caused by cancer. Lymphosarcoma is treatable in some animals. Chemotherapy may be successful, but it is a lengthy and costly endeavor. Large tumors, for instance in the spleen, may be surgically removed, even if chemotherapy is to be used. There is no guarantee that either surgery or chemotherapy will cure the disease, but ferrets are good patients and chemotherapy has fewer side effects in them than it does in people. Many owners feel it is well worth trying to save their pets, and many ferrets survive and live normal lifespan afterward. In some animals, leukemia is associated with certain viral infections. Feline leukemia is caused by a virus that is transmitted from the mother cat to her kittens, and from cat to cat. Bovine leukemia virus affects cattle and is mainly transmitted from cow to calf. Tests can detect the feline and bovine viruses in cats and cattle respectively, but there are no such tests to detect similar viruses in ferrets or in people with lymphosarcoma. It is likely that a virus causes lymphosarcoma in ferrets, and is passed from jills to their kits and from one pet to another. It is likely that similar but not identical viruses cause lymphosarcoma in different kinds of animals and in people. |
| Adrenal Gland Disease |
| Adrenal gland disease is common in ferrets over 4 years old. The normal adrenal gland contains several types of cells that produce different hormones, such as cortisone and some male and female hormones. Excessive amounts of female identify an enlarged adrenal gland. The enlargement may be caused by normal cells proliferating at an unusual rate (hyperplasia), or by either a malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous) tumor. It has been suggested that a possible cause of adrenal gland disease is early spaying or neutering. The practice of spaying and neutering 6- to 7-week-old ferrets (by large breeders) induces adrenal gland disease. The theory is that the adrenal glands of animals spayed or neutered at a very young age might try to compensate for the lack of normal sex hormones by proliferation of cells in the adrenal gland that produce sex hormones. However, many ferrets spayed or neutered when much older and, occasionally animals that have not been spayed or neutered also have developed adrenal gland tumors. Individual people and animals are more susceptible to some types of cancer than others. Some ferret families may be especially susceptible to adrenal gland cancer. It is likely that more than one factor determines any ferret's susceptibility to adrenal gland abnormalities. Early spaying or neutering is certainly not the whole answer, and may not even be part of the answer. The disease was uncommon in the hunting ferrets that were their ancestors, and is still rare in animals that live outside, as they tend to do in the United Kingdom and in Australia. The incidence of adrenal gland disease is increasing in the United Kingdom as some pet ferrets have been invited inside to live in their owners' homes rather than living in the back yard. It is possible that the incidence of adrenal gland disease has increased because we have forced our ferrets to adapt to our life style. Ferrets are strongly affected by photoperiod (hours of light per day). Under natural conditions, there are only about 8 hours of strong light a day in the winter months, and the proportions of light and dark gradually change during the spring and fall. We have removed all these stimuli when we keep the ferret in a house where electric lights extend day length to at least 12 hours, year round. Changing photoperiod causes the ferret to lose weight and hair in the spring, and come into estrus. In the fall, as the hours of light decrease, ferrets stop breeding, grow a heavy winter coat, and put on extra fat to prepare for the cold weather. A primitive part of the brain called the pineal gland mediates the ferret's response to light. The pineal gland produces a hormone called melatonin only during hours of darkness. Melatonin reduces the output of gonadotrophins from the pituitary gland. Gonadotrophins bind to cells in the ovary or testicle, inducing production of sex hormones. The same gonadotrophins also bind to cells in the adrenal gland. When ovaries and testicles are removed, these gonadotrophins can bind only to adrenal cortical cells. It is possible that constant stimulation of the adrenal glands because of the long hours of light eventually causes first benign hyperplasia (enlargement), and then benign tumors to develop in the adrenal cortex. In some animals, the tumors become malignant or are malignant from the outset. Whether the condition is hypertrophy, a benign tumor, or cancer, excessive levels of adrenal cortical hormones are produced. Hyperplasia, in some instances, may be corrected if the ferret is put in a place where the light can be limited to 8 hours a day. The ferret's hair may start to regrow 3 to 6 weeks after the change. By definition, tumor cells are out of control, and modifying photoperiod cannot reverse hair loss when any type of tumor is producing sex hormones. People want their ferrets to be awake and playing in the evening when they come home from work or school, so the ferret is exposed to natural light all day, and artificial light in the evening. The obvious way to limit the ferret's exposure to 8 hours of light a day, without preventing him from interacting with his family, is to give him a dark place to sleep during the day. It has to be really dark, excluding all light, like a moonless night. This might be arranged by putting the ferret's cage inside a well-ventilated closet, or using light-excluding drapes on the windows in the ferret's room. Reducing the ferret's exposure to light usually results in an improvement in coat condition and an increase in body weight a few weeks after the new arrangement - these responses show that the original photoperiod was too long. Providing short days only during the winter months is sufficient, as this mimics the natural seasonal variation in day length. In a study of 400 ferrets conducted in the Atlanta area in the late 90’s the lowest incidence of adrenal gland tumors was found in breeder ferrets, and they were housed in natural light conditions, otherwise they wouldn’t have been productive. The association between adrenal gland tumors and lighting conditions can’t be ignored. Even if there is some association with spaying and neutering and adrenal gland tumors and jills developing them at a young age, there is a far greater risk of an unsprayed jill, who is allowed to remain in heat too long, developing hyperplasia and dying. About 50% of unspayed jills left in heat too long will develop bone marrow hyperplasia and die, but under natural light conditions, a very small percentage of ferrets spayed at any age develop adrenal tumors. Signs of an adrenal tumor, sometimes weight loss and hair loss especially at the base of the tail, feet and abdomen, and scratching for no apparent reason, are the only early signs of adrenal cancer in either a male or female ferret. Intact hobs with adrenal tumors might have permanently enlarged testicles but will be not be fertile. The first sign noticed by the owner of a spayed female with an adrenal gland tumor is often the sudden appearance of a swollen vulva, as if she were in estrus. Signs of Adrenal Disease in the Ferret ♣ Hair loss, either in a symmetrical pattern or patchy with no apparent pattern. This may come and go depending upon the season. ♣ Hair that pulls out easily. ♣ Lethargy. ♣ Loss of appetite. ♣ Paper thin or translucent looking skin, sometimes with sores from scratching. ♣ Excessive scratching and itchiness, especially between the shoulder blades. ♣ Increase in musky odor. ♣ Excessive grooming of themselves or other ferrets, including ear sucking. ♣ Sexual aggression and mating behavior in neutered males with other ferrets, inanimate objects, etc. Causes of Hyperestrogenism in Sprites (spayed females) There are two common reasons for a sprite coming in heat long after they have been spayed. A mistake made during the spay surgery is not one of them. A female, spayed incompletely as a kit comes in heat at 4 to 6 months old, depending on the hours of light each day, the same as if she were not spayed at all. 1. Ectopic ovarian tissue, or occasionally ovarian tissue grows at the site of the spay surgery, or elsewhere in the abdomen. It is not regrowth of an ovary, it is new tissue that functions like an ovarian follicle, producing estrogen. This may happen years after the spay, for unknown reasons. If the jill is left in heat a long time, she can suffer the same side effects as with a normal estrus, including loss of hair and suppression of bone marrow. Surgical removal of the abnormal tissue immediately ends the estrus and its side effects. Injectable hormones, that work well on normal jills in heat, do not always work on jills with ectopic ovarian tissue. 2. Adrenal gland tumor exploratory surgery may be necessary to distinguish jills with adrenal gland tumors from those with ectopic ovarian tissue. It is possible for a jill to have both problems at the same time. To distinguish between these conditions and diagnose adrenal gland disease, blood tests for certain steroid hormones (often called "Tennessee Panel"), ultrasound imaging or surgery would need to be performed. Prognosis for Ferrets with Adrenal Gland Tumors If left untreated, ferrets with adrenal gland tumors usually lose all but the hair on their heads and a tuft on the tip of their tail. Their skin gets very thin, they have a pot-bellied appearance, and they sleep most of the time. Fortunately, although they have an odd appearance with almost no fur on their bodies, ferrets with benign (non cancerous) adrenal gland tumors can live a reasonably normal life, if they do not become anemic due to high levels of estrogen. Jills often appear to be in heat, and because this is associated with a swollen and open vulva, they are susceptible to urinary tract infections. Male ferrets, either neutered or intact, may develop a life-threatening urinary obstruction because high hormone levels cause the prostate gland to hypertrophy (enlarge) and constrict the neck of the bladder. Treatment of Adrenal Gland Disease Surgery, the most effective treatment is to surgically remove the abnormal adrenal gland. This is the only choice to relieve prostate hypertrophy, which it does within 48 hours. The adrenal glands produce many important substances required for life. If there are tumors on both glands, one can be removed, but part of the second one must remain, even if it means leaving part of the tumor there, too. New techniques using cryosurgery have made removal of an adrenal gland a safer procedure, and most ferrets recover uneventfully. Medical Treatment Leuprolide acetate (Lupron Depot) can be given as an injection. This medication will alleviate some or all of the symptoms, but will not cure the disease, and will need to be given for the rest of the ferrets life. Melatonin has shown some success alleviating the symptoms of adrenal gland disease in ferrets. Mitotane (Lysodren) is a drug that reduces the amount of hormone being produced by a benign inoperable tumor, extending the quality life time of the ferret. Unfortunately it has side effects, and is no longer commonly used. Some tumors are malignant (cancerous) and do not respond to medical treatments. They metastasize (migrate) to other organs or recur after removal. Ferrets with malignant tumors have a short life expectancy after diagnosis. |
| Aleutian Disease Virus (ADV) |
| Parvo? No, it’s not called parvo in ferrets, it’s Aleutian Disease. It is however caused by a strain of the parvovirus which makes it the closest thing to parvo in ferrets. Back in the 1970’s, if you’re old enough and were a dog owner, you may have heard of the dreaded parvo disease that would kill your pet if he/she were to contract it because there was no known cure and no vaccine available. I personally, in fact lost a dog (puppy) to parvo and was able to get one through it by forcing plenty of water down the puppy’s throat and force feeding. This was the only thing I could do to try and save it’s life, which was by the advice of our Veterinarian who had told us that there was no cure for this thing and that it was probably contracted by contact with the waste of another parvo infected dog. The first known case of Aleutian Disease was reported in ranch bred Mink in the 1950’s. The group of viruses that make up the “parvovirus” is a group of very diverse “bugs”. They infect several different species, of which are dogs and cats, hogs, and even wild mammals such as coyotes and raccoons. Canine parvovirus was a mutated form of feline parvovirus and is still one of the most feared of the puppyhood viruses which causes severe diarrhea and vomiting and if contracted, it’s victim usually dies. Aleutian disease, which was originally a disease of mink, now has at least one strain that is specific to ferrets. The parvovirus, both the feline and canine variety which caused severe diarrhea in it’s victims, now mutated to affect ferrets and called Aleutian disease is a chronic wasting disease. Aleutian disease in ferrets cause them to become lethargic and weak, loose weight and even some neurologic disorders ranging from lack of coordination to all out seizures. Other symptoms include dark tarry stools, anemia, and may also have liver or kidney failure. If you are a ferret owner, and know your diseases and the signs and symptoms to look out for, you may have noticed these symptoms are also that of other diseases which are much more common to ferrets. How about insulinomas could be the problem if we are having neurologic disorders or lack of coordination, or we could pair up dark tarry stools and anemia with intestinal ulcers, enlarged liver/spleen, could that be from lymphoma? Maybe heart failure? Yes, that’s right. There are many more common diseases than Aleutian disease with these same symptoms, and not to disregard Aleutian disease, but there are much greater chances that our ferret has come down with another disorder, that is even possibly a greater danger to the life of our pet. These other diseases are not contagious, while Aleutian disease is, so it should also be considered. Testing for it is another problem, the tests are not very reliable, with both false positive and negative results. If you have only one ferret who is not exhibiting the symptoms of the disease, and you have a positive result when the test done, what are you going to do? I suppose the only thing to do is watch for the symptoms to manifest themselves, and not take your ferret around others, of course. But if you have two or more ferrets, and you separate them they could die from separation anxiety, because ferrets are social animals and need the company of their “friends”. The only thing you could do would be euthanasia, but why would you do that!? The mink farmers/ranchers, would cull the herd so to speak, killing the infected animals, but they are just livestock to them, and our ferrets are our pets, so that’s out of the question. Not to forget the little false test results problem, there could be nothing wrong with our ferret to begin with. Even if the positive test result is accurate, maybe our asymptomatic ferret will never come down with the disease, that it’s just a carrier. Naturally, if your ferret does begin to exhibit signs of Aleutian disease, the first thing to do is take the sick ferret to the vet to confirm that it hasn’t come down with another disease with the same symptoms to which there may be a cure, and secondly, then you would separate it from the other ferrets. If it is Aleutian disease, there is no cure, just nursing the sick ferret with plenty of water, feed it, forcefully if necessary (something like duck soup) and possibly a blood transfusion may help due to the anemia that comes with this disease. Your ferret could beat it and live many more years. On a personal note, we have stopped adopting out our rescues because we don’t really get that many in due in part to our location which is at least 60 miles from the nearest “big” city and I use that term loosely as I’m talking about Victoria, TX. W/approximately 50 or 60 thousand people, and 100+ miles from Houston, and the distance goes up from there. We don’t test for Aleutian disease, because we believe that it can only be spread by symptomatic animals, so we quarantine any that come in, in the same room as the others. We only have to keep their bodily fluids away from the other ferrets. They get plenty of love and get to play just as if they weren’t being quarantined, they just get to play with their new humans (and whom ever they came with) during this period, then they are socialized in with the others. You see, we have never had any with Aleutian disease, or known anyone who has had one with it. We do believe it exists, we’ve just never encountered it and since our ferrets don’t go out and “touch the ground” often, and even if they did, there are very few ferrets living in this small town that it would be all but impossible to contract it other than rescuing a ferret with this disease. Every ferret here is examined twice a day (when they come out to play), so they wouldn’t be in close contact with one another more than a few hours before it would be noticed that they aren’t feeling up to par. If you would like to research this further, you can “Google it” with keywords “Aleutian Disease”, or “Aleutian Disease in Ferrets”. This should give you plenty of reading material on this subject matter and you can verify what I’ve told you in this article. |
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| Watch these pretty ferrets run through a tube, wrestling, and playing as they have fun with each other. This is mock combat. Find money on this site, or maybe you can earn a job. Carma will be on your side if you donate money to Ferret Rescue and Adoption of South Texas! Ferrets steal, ferrets hide their loot. Help us out, make a donation before we go out of business. Run, play, fight.!!! Ferrets playing, ferrets wrestle, ferrets play, ferrets jumping, ferrets fighting, running around, beautiful ferrets, ferret videos, fighting videos, baby ferret videos, fighting babies, baby ferrets. |
| Common Ferret Illness and Diseases |
| Ferrets are another of those animals who's gender/ability to mate and age determine what they are called, IE: A beef animal, at birth, it's a calf (male) or heifer (female) and as they age and become fertile, they become a bull and cow, unless of course you castrate the bull, then you have a steer. Cows are never "spayed" because they are not pets and if you don't want babies, keep them away from the bulls! Ferrets also have this going on! Baby ferrets are called "kits" and as they grow and become fertile, they are "Hobs" (male) and "Jills" (female) but if you neuter the "Hobs" you have "Gibs" and if you spay your "Jills" you have "Sprites". |
| I research diseases, illness and various other disorders that effect our furry little friends fairly regularly. If I find anything I missed or something new that effects ferrets I will get them up right away. Anything new will be at the top of the page, while anything I may have missed will be placed where it belongs. |
| In the text on this page and in this diagnostic tool, I have probably missed some disorders common to our Furry Little Friends and will continue to research and find any I missed and get them up as soon as time permits. |
| This is a Free Trial of the Ferret Disorder Diagnostic Tool |
| Ferret Rescue and Adoption of South Texas |
| Disclaimer! If you think your ferret is ill and may need Emergency Medical Treatment, you should not be here, but rather on your way to an Emergency Veterinarian Hospital. This can not check blood pressure, do blood work, x-rays or any other services offered at a veterinarian Hospital, this is only to help you discover what may be wrong with your pet. It is helpful in it's own right, however it's accuracy is dependant on your ability to notice & input your pets symptoms correctly. If this is helpful in any way, Please make a donation to help with our many expenses. We even sometimes go pick up ferrets who we feel desperately need a home or to be seen by a knowledgeable ferret person! |
| Possible New Illness In Ferrets |