Ferret Husbandry & Diseases

Question 1

What order are domestic ferrets a part of?

Answer 1

Carnivora (same as cats)

Question 2

Give the correct terminology for the following ferret type:

1. intact male
2. intact female
3. neutered male
4. spayed female
5. juvenile ferret
6. group of ferrets

Answer 2

1. intact male = HOB
2. intact female = JILL
3. neutered male = GIB
4. spayed female = SPRITE
5. juvenile ferret = KIT
6. group of ferrets = BUSINESS

Question 3

T/F: female ferrets are larger than their male counterparts

Answer 3

false – males are larger. though both sexes eat more and gain weight in the winter

Question 4

Ferrets have (altricial/precocial) young.

Answer 4

altricial
meaning they are born with their eyes and ears closed and require intense mothering care.

Question 4

What is the lifespan of a ferret?

Answer 4

5-8 years

Question 5

T/F: ferrets do not have a cecum

Answer 5

true

Question 6

What is responsible for the musky smell of ferrets?

Answer 6

anal glands (majority of the smell, but NOT all so sacculectomy will NOT eliminate the smell completely)

Question 7

Adrenal gland surgery is difficult in ferrets and should only be performed by competent, confident surgeons who are aware of the risks. Why is this surgery so risky?

Answer 7

the adrenal glands are adhered to the vena cava

Question 8

Why must you consider anatomy differently when deciding to place a urinary catheter in a male ferret?

Answer 8

their urethral opening is NOT at the tip of their penis.

Question 9

Ferrets are naturally curious and inquisitive, but often put themselves at risk for foreign bodies because …

Answer 9

they chew and swallow MANY things.

Question 10

T/F: ferrets are not litter box trainable

Answer 10

false – they are! but they will still void in unfamiliar surroundings unless trained not to do so.

Question 11

T/F: ferrets sleep 6-12 hours per day and therefore make great pets for children who desire playing with them mostly during the day

Answer 11

false – they sleep 16-18 hours a day.

Question 12

What is the diet of ferrets?

Answer 12

ferrets are STRICT carnivores
They require high protein, high calorie, low-fiber diets.
They have very minimal ability to digest complex CHOs and fiber, thus minimizing these things in their diet is important.

Question 13

You have a client who recently acquired a new ferret. They bring him in to have him professionally bathed because they complain that he stinks. They report that they’ve given him 2-3 baths per week in an attempt to get rid of the smell, but it hasnt helped and now he has flaky skin. What is likely the issue here?

Answer 13

Well… ferrets stink. You cannot bathe them to get rid of the smell. They should especially not be bathed any more often than once every 3-4 weeks. The flaky skin is a result of drying the skin out.

Question 14

T/F: ferrets are incredibly sensitive to overheating

Answer 14

true

Question 15

what are the 2 most appropriate blood collection methods in ferrets?

Answer 15

jugular
cranial vena cava

Question 16

What are the 3 most common neoplasias in ferrets?

Answer 16

1. pancreatic islet cell***
2. adrenocortical cell
3. lymphoma

others: mast cell, basal cell, sebaceous gland, chordoma, misc.

Question 17

At what age does neoplasia most commonly occur in ferrets?

Answer 17

4-7 years (mid-life) and is more common in spayed/castrated animals.

Question 18

what are the clinical signs associated with / caused by in a case of pancreatic endocrine tumor (insulinoma) in a ferret?

Answer 18

1. hyperinsulinism
2. hypoglycemia

signs will be mental dullness, tremors, seizures, coma, collapse, tachycardia, hypothermia, hypersalivation, pawing at the mouth, posterior paresis

Question 19

How do you diagnose and treat pancreatic endocrine tumors in ferrets?

Answer 19

Diagnose by LOW blood glucose (<70), HIGH insulin (>250), and ancillary tests (AUS, increased ALT/AST)

Treatment is medical management – small frequent high protein meals, corn syrup during acute episodes; or surgical management (only palliative; MST 10-15 months)

Question 20

How is adrenocortical neoplasia different in ferrets than in dogs?

Answer 20

adrenal gland tumors in ferrets create disease that is NOT pituitary in origin; hyperadrenocorticism in dogs can be.

Question 21

Which of the following is FALSE about adrenocortical tumors in ferrets?
A. most common in middle-aged ferrets
B. cause progressive alopecia, vulvar swelling, male sexual behavior, pruritus, stranguria, and muscle wasting
C. is diagnosed by ultrasound, anemia/pancytopenia, elevated ALT, or ACTH stim test
D. treatment is solely medical management with gnRH agonists and results in good prgnosis

Answer 21

D. treatment is solely medical management with gnRH agonists and results in good prognosis

surgical treatment (adrenalectomy) is the best treatment, but is difficult to do; prognosis is still poor for these patients.

Question 22

How do you differentiate young-ferret lymphoma versus older-ferret lymphoma?

Answer 22

young ferrets will have acute onset with lymphocytosis

older ferrets will have chronic onset with lymphopenia

Question 23

what are the treatment options for lymphoma in ferrets?

Answer 23

chemo +/- surgical intervention
remission is 3m-5yr so may definitely be worth it.

better responses are seen with young ferrets with mediastinal masses, spleen, skin, or peripheral lymph node neoplasia

Question 24

What are the MOST common skin tumor of ferrets?

Answer 24

1. mast cell tumors
2. basal cell tumors

TOC is excision; they are mostly benign.

Question 25

T/F: hyperestrogenic anemia in ferrets has a high mortality rate

Answer 25

true – you should diagnose and treat quickly to avoid death.

TOC is OHE, adrenalectomy (goal: remove the source of estrogen); ensure to stabilize prior to surgery (stim ovulation with GnRH and give blood transfusion if needed)

Question 26

T/F: you must blood type ferrets prior to transfusions

Answer 26

false – not needed; they dont have blood groups so you can give them any ferret blood.

Question 27

Which of the following is FALSE about canine distemper virus in ferrets?
A. its a paramyxovirus
B. signs develop in 7-10 days
C. death occurs within 7-10 days
D. 100% fatality rate
E. causes mucopurulent nasoocular discharge and hyperkeratotis foot pads
F. treatment is unrewarding and unwarranted.

Answer 27

C. death occurs within 7-10 days

death occurs within 12-25 days

Question 28

Which zoonotic disease should you be aware of that can pass from human to ferret, ferret to ferret, and from ferret to human?

Answer 28

influenza

Question 29

what specific blood test should be included in a ferrets regular physical exam?

Answer 29

blood glucose in order to establish normal levels in that particular animal which supports trends that may appear later on if that animal develops a pancreatic endocrine tumor or be able to detect hypoglycemia early on.

Question 30

which 2 vaccines should ferrets get annually (and possibly more often depending on the current ferret recommendations)?

Answer 30

1. rabies
2. distemper