Understanding Your Ferret's Medical Conditions and Needs

By ZuPreem Staff

Ferrets have very specific conditions, some of which are entirely normal for ferrets, and some of which may require medical treatment. How to tell the difference is important in caring responsibly for your ferret. As always, your veterinarian is the best source of information, and may have additional concerns to discuss with you.

1. Spaying/ Neutering – Jills (intact female ferrets) remain in heat indefinitely unless ovulation is induced by breeding. (Breeding season is early spring to midsummer). Female pet ferrets should be spayed to avoid the following health problems caused by side effects of being in heat for more that three weeks:

• loss of hair
• loss of body weight
• bladder infections
• bladder stones
• bone marrow failure causing anemia, internal hemorrhage or possible death

Spaying can be done any time after weaning. Ferrets tolerate anesthetics well and are fast healers. Male ferrets reach sexual maturity by 8 months of age and thus pet hobs should be neutered prior to this age. If a pet owner chooses not to neuter the hob, he may exhibit a very strong body odor and have greasy skin during the breeding season.

2. De-scenting – The surgical removal of anal sacs, which are the musk-producing glands on either side of the anal opening. It is recommended to de-scent ferrets when they are only 6-8 weeks old. The surgery becomes more difficult as the ferret ages.

3. Teeth – Ferrets have 34 permanent teeth that are similar to a cat’s teeth in appearance. Canine teeth erupt when the young ferret is 7-8 weeks of age. The last teeth to erupt are the lower back molars when the ferret is about 10 weeks old.

4. Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Stones – Occurs when a ferret is fed grocery store or “generic” cat foods and the primary protein source is from plants, not meat. Eating meat makes the urine more acidic, and reduces the likelihood of struvite bladder stones forming. Urinary tract infections increase the susceptibility to stones. To help avoid potential problems, feed your ferret ZuPreem® Premium Ferret Diet that is nutritionally balanced and formulated especially for ferrets.

5. Respiratory Infections – Ferrets with respiratory infections have difficulty breathing through their noses and often eat poorly because they cannot smell the food. Take your ferret to see a veterinarian.

6. Insulinomas – Unfortunately, some ferrets are prone to tumors that produce insulin and can cause low blood sugar. To keep blood sugar as stable as possible, your ferret should eat a nutritionally balanced diet with high protein levels from meat and egg sources. Limit the amount of fresh fruits, vegetables and treats to no more than 20% of your ferret’s total diet. This condition requires diagnosis and treatment by your veterinarian.

7. Hair and coat conditions – For a review of normal and abnormal hair conditions in ferrets, read the article here on ZuPreem.com titled “Your Ferret’s Hair Coat. What’s Normal and What’s Not.”