Is it ok to use Panacur to worm ferrets ?

Question

i think my ferret might have worms as i caught him eating worms on a few occasions.. my mum has said that the worm might have had eggs and would now be in my ferret. can a ferret get worms by eating normal earth worms in the garden?

also i heard some other people use Panacur on ferrets but is it safe? if you worm your ferrets what wormer do you use?

im in the UK in case it makes a difference.

Answer 1

First of all, they can't get worms from eating earthworms. They get worms from eating raw, infected meat, from coming in contact with the stool of an infected animal, fleas or other intermediate hosts, or just from the larva of a parasitic worm burrowing through their skin. Some symptoms that your ferret might have worms:

*dry, brittle fur

*weight loss with increased appetite

*weakness or lethargy

*itchy butt

*diarrhea, mucousy or bloody poops; in severe cases, you'll be able to see worms in the p**p

If you're not sure if your ferret does have worms or not, just take a sample of p**p to your vet, he/she can easily check for them. Make sure you grab more than one pile of p**p - if there are worms, they might not show up in every pile.

My ferrets actually ended up with a case of roundworms awhile back (thanks to a stray cat we took in) and my vet prescribed Panacur for them. The exact label reads: "Panacur 100 mg/ml; give 0.1 ml once daily for five days in a row." I know Panacur also comes in a dog formula, which is a powder, but what I used was a liquid and then I used a syringe to give it to my ferrets. It worked for my ferrets, I took in two more group p**p samples a month later and both samples came back negative.

Answer 2

Garden worms have nothing to do with the worms that you're referring to.  I would immediately consult your Veterinarian for a diagnosis.

Answer 3

If you're thinking of using the Panacur that's made for horses, I wouldn't recommend it for obvious reasons. I don't know if ferrets get worms, but in any case, your best bet would be to ring your local vet for advice.

Answer 4

Garden worms are not the same as parasitic worms - earth worms can't live or breed inside an animal.

Don't use a dog or cat wormer on your ferret - it might kill it.

Ask your vet if she/he needs worming.

Answer 5

LOL aw bless you, you obviously dont know that much about ferrets but well doen for being cautious! a ferret eating a worm/slug etc isnt going to give it worms i promise =]