My ferret has been losing weight?

Question

My ferret(dewq) has been losing weight...He weighed 2.6 pounds about 3 months ago. And he feels lighter now, and he just isnt as plump as he use to be. My other ferret(rambo) is growing fine and is big and strong, dewq is naturally big and isnt getting bigger, just smaller. He was taken to the vet in april and had all of his shots and a worm check, so i doubt its worms. Rambo isnt stealing food because i feed them in separate bowls and keep an eye on them too. Could it be fleas causing problems? Or could it be worse like a blockage? I would like an idea of what i could be looking before i take him to the vet. He still plays fine with rambo, and likes to eat.

Answer 1

First off, since you mentioned fleas - well do they have them?  And if so, are you treating them for them?  Fleas are VERY dangerous to ferrets as a ferret can quickly become anemic from the flea bites.  To control fleas on a ferret you can use Advantage for Kittens and Small Cats.  But I would have a vet check this ferret out if it's been bitten for fleas for awhile and you've done nothing about it.

How old is this ferret?  Young ferrets tend to grow and grow and end up quite chubby around a year and then start slimming down to the weight they'll be as adults.  There's two types of ferret body builds "bulldogs" - which are bulkier and "gazelles", which are lankier.

If this ferret's a bit older then the weight loss could be the symptom of a disease.  Ferrets are prone to LOTS of them and many can cause weight loss.

Please get this ferret looked at.  No one online can diagnose your ferret - a ferret knowledgeable vet is the only one that can do that.  Odd that your vet did a worm check on your ferret.  In over 10 years of owning ferrets I've never had a vet check a ferret for worms.  Is this a ferret knowledgeable vet?  You may want to find a different one - here's a list - http://www.ferret.org/links/vets.html

Answer 2

It could just be the season, my ferret lost weight in the beginning of summer and now hes plump again, if he stops playing and only wants to sleep or hasnt been eating or drinking then i would worry, but if hes fine other than that i wouldnt worry..Good luck =)

Answer 3

Have you checked his p**p? To make sure there is no green runny p**p? Some ferrets just burn off fat faster than other ferrets. I would take him to the vet if you think there is something wrong with your ferret, if you think he is okay i would use some ferret tone or something to fatten him up..

Answer 4

mmm not good... any animal that looses weight like that isn't good. like for a cat, sometimes its diabeties. i would take him to the vet... can't hurt

Answer 5

Weight loss in ferrets is a fickle and funny thing.  It could be something, it could be nothing.  Important thing at this point is to look out for other symptoms!  Any hair loss?  More sleepy then usual?  Not eating as much?  Poops look 'weird'?  The slightest change in your ferrets apearance or behavior could mean illness.

Typically, at this time of year, ferrets should be bulking up and looking a bit larger then usual.  Your ferret doing the oposite could be red flag for a bigger problem.  It could really be anything.  Research some of the most common ferret illnesses at the following website WHILE you are waiting to see your vet.  I think you should have him looked at just in case.  http://www.ferretuniverse.com

Answer 6

i used to take in unwanted and abused ferrets and had seven at one point in time lol.  Now its just down to our original two.  My ferret(foster) is about 3 years old and for the first 2 or so years he was very plump and had a big belly but after the first two years he started losing weight as well.  Now he's not skinny but he's not nearly as plump as he used to be.  But I just took him to the vet about 2 weeks ago and my vet told me that its normal for ferrets to lose weight after their first two years.  If not sooner than that.  It's kind of like losing baby weight.

I'm sure he's fine, especially if he's still playing with your other ferret like normal.  It's when they become lethargic that you have to worry.  Ferrets are normally pretty lazy when they're in their cages so if you let him out to play and he just lies around thats when you have to worry.  I don't think that fleas would cause him to lose weight.  But at pet stores they sell a flea/tick repellant for kittens, ferrets and other small mammals.  They're wipes instead of drops and they work really well. I think they come in a pink package.

I hope this helps you and your little guy out!!  

Answer 7

Weight loss in ferrets could signal quite a few different things. It could be seasonal weight loss, internal parasites, a gastrointestinal disease (like ECE or a blockage), ADV, or lymphoma to name a few. The majority of illnesses common to ferrets will cause some weight loss, so it's hard to say what could be wrong based on weight loss alone. Are you noticing any other symptoms - change in p**p (color, is it seedy, tarry, anything different?), vomiting, hair loss, lethargy, paleness, loss of appetite, anything? Even if your ferret was checked for worms in April, it could still be a possibility now. You asked about fleas, so does that mean your ferrets have fleas? If so, he could have gotten tapeworm from them. You're really better off talking to a ferret knowledgeable vet about this, there's just so many things that it could be. Hopefully it's nothing, or at least nothing major, but if it is something, you're better off having it diagnosed and treated asap.

Percy - My ferrets' vet checks for worms. Well, she does a fecal float (as long as I bring a p**p sample) and she checks for several things, so it's not like she's looking just for worms, but that is one of the things she checks for.