Ferret Medicine Flashcards
Where do most ferrets in the US come from?
Marshall Farms
- 1 dot tattoo = neutered/spayed
- 2 dot tattoo = neutered/spayed + descented
- illegal to keep as pets in some states (California)
What are the 3 naturally occuring ferret coat colors? What others are recognized?
- sable/fitch
- albino
- cinnamon
silver, black-eyed white, chocolate, Siamese
How does molting differ with the season in ferrets?
- SPRING = low body weight, short coat
- SUMMER = darker coat
- FALL = high body weight, long coat
- WINTER = lighter coat
What ferrets tend to have less dramatic molts?
spayed/neutered
What are 3 unique aspects of ferret integument?
- thick skin especially over neck/shoulders - makes injections/IV catheter placement difficult
- no sweat glands
- active sebaceous glands contribute to their odor and yellow undercoat
What kind of estrous cycle do ferrets have? When are they sexually mature? When do kits wean?
seasonally polyestrous, induced ovulators
4.5-6 months
6-8 weeks
What is considered an early gonadectomy in ferrets? What 3 things does this lead to?
5-6 weeks
- less muscling
- faded mask markings
- less odor
Why must oral medications be given carefully to ferrets?
naturally strong jaw tone
- not a good indicator of anesthetic depth
Where is the heart found in the ferret? What organ is naturally large?
between 6th-8th ribs –> more caudal than most mammals (auscult in normal standing position, lifted can induce murmurs, marked sinus arrhythmia is normal)
spleen - appreciated well on abdominal palpation due to intramedullary hematopoiesis
What can complicate urethral catheterization in male ferrets? Where is the prostate located?
J-shaped os penis
at the base of the urinary bladder and completely surrounds urethra
What is the optimal enclosure for a ferret? Temperature? Humidity? Lighting?
multi-level, should not be strictly confined, require exercise/play time
40-77 F
40-60%
12-16 hours of daylight
What are some safe options for ferret enrichment? What should be avoided?
- paper bags
- hard plastic/metal toys
- cloth toys
- PVC pipes
- dryer vent tubing
- instinctively caches toys
latex and rubber toys
What diet do ferrets have? What is their GI transit time like? When do they typically gain more weight?
obligate carnivores
rapid - eat small frequent meals
in the fall
What 2 macronutrients are ferrets unable to utilize? How do ferrets develop a preference?
carbohydrates and fiber –> minimal gut flora and few brush border enzymes
4 months - exposure juveniles to a variety of food types
What are the 2 best options for ferret food? What is most commonly offered?
- whole prey
- balanced carnivore diets (Wysong)
dry kibble - 30-35% crude protein, 15-20% fat, low fiber (first 3 ingredients should be meat, low quality plant protein is undigestible and predisposes to insulinoma, urolithiasis, and GI disease)
What are 2 dietary supplements that can be give to ferrets?
- duck soup - Gerber baby food + Hills a/d + Nutrical used to coax ferrets to eat
- human supplements - Ensure, Deliver
What are some important considerations for ferret history?
- activity level and mobility
- exposure to other ferrets and animals
- molting cycle vs. alopecia
- urinating/defecating - consistency/color of feces
- coughing, sneezing, people in the household with the flu
- diet/appetite
- vaccination history
What are 2 proper options for ferret restraint?
- grasp under the thorax allowing caudal part of the body to hand free or support with other hand
- scruff when necessary - can induce a yawn for oral exams
What is a normal physical exam finding around ferret’s ears? Mouth?
small amount of brown waxy material - would be excessive with ear mites or MCT
dental tartar
What can be used to assess CRT and MM color in ferrets?
- mouth (careful of jaw tone!)
- foot pads
- nose
What is commonly confused for lymphadenopathy in ferrets?
abundant perinodular adipose tissue
What are the best options for collecting smaller volumes of blood (+/- IVC placement) in ferrets? Larger volumes?
SMALL VOLUMES + IVC - cephalic vein, lateral saphenous vein
LARGE VOLUMES - jugular vein, anterior vena cava
What are good options for arterial and IO catheter access in ferrets?
ARTERIAL = ventral tail artery
IO = proximal tibia, proximal femur
What flavor should be avoided for flavored oral medications in ferrets? How can pills be masked?
fish
Ferrotone or Laxatone
How does gender and age affect ferret hematology?
YOUNG HOBS - lover RBC, PCV, and Hb compared to adults and young jills
JILLS - decreased PCV with age
How can drugs affect ferret hematology?
inhalants (Sevo, Iso) decreases RBC, Hb, and PCV
- returns to normal within 45 mins of anesthetic recovery
What are common causes of non-regenerative anemia and blood loss in ferrets?
NON-REGEN ANEMIA - lymphoma, systemic infection, hyperestrogenism (intact females)
BLOOD LOSS - GI hemorrhage
What leukocyte concentrations are normal in ferrets? How does this change with age? Inflammatory disease?
neutrophils > lymphocytes
neutrophils increase and lymphocytes decrease
WBC counts are naturally low and left shifts are rare –> unable to develop marked leukocytosis (>20000 unusual)
Ferret radiograph, VD:
Ferret radiograph, lateral:
What 2 vaccines are given to ferrets?
- canine distemper - ferret (Canarypox) or puppy (MLV) SQ injection at 8, 11, and 14 weeks, then an annual booster
- rabies - MLV, SQ injectionat 3 months, then annumal booster
NO COMBOS RECOMMENDED, if both are due, prefer 2 separate dates
What is the first sign of vaccine reactions in ferrets? What else is seen? With what vaccine is this most common?
bottle brush tail within 30 mins +/- hematochezia, vomitting
more common with distemper vaccine
What 4 treatments are recommended for vaccine reactions in ferrets?
- diphenhydramine
- dexamethasone
- epinephrine
- supportive care
