My ferret

Question
Hi Jacquie(:
 My name is Bobbi and i just turned 14. Well i got a ferret for my birthday because his owner that got him when he was a baby couldnt keep him or another ferret that came with him.I got him when he just turned 2 and now he is 4. His birthday is in June... Well a couple months ago Riley, my ferret, started losing hair on his tail and then on his shoulder and now on the top of his head. Well I was at a friends house for a couple days and when i came back 2 days ago i had found that he had fallen ill. Now the other ferret is fine, health as can be. Well he has gotten worse, he doesnt have alot of energy he's pooping out blood and cant move...
This happened to my friends ferrets and she took him to the vet and they didnt know what was wrong with it,now i hope you can help me with my ferret. My mom has called the vet before it went down hill, about losing the hair and the vet said it was just stress. Please Jacquie, help me understand whats going on with my baby. Please im begging you because he's all i got left, from when our house was normal and there want fighting and all kinds of drama.

Answer
Hi Bobbi:

This ferret needs to see a vet immediately. It sounds like he has adrenal disease. The fact that he is pooping blood sounds like he could also have an intestinal obstruction. At any rate, he is dying and if you don't get him to a FERRET VET, he is going to die.  Do NOT take him to the vet your mom called - that vet knows NOTHING about ferrets whatsoever!  Although stresss *can* make ferrets sick, it would not be like this.  The symptoms you are describing are deadly symptoms of adrenal disease and/or intestinal obstruction.  

I apologize that this question did not get answered sooner. I have been on sick leave and was not supposed to be getting any questions, so haven't checked the website.  I hope that you have taken him to the vet by the time you read this, or he has probably already passed, unfortunately. If not, PLEASE get him to a ferret vet IMMEDIATELY.

I don't know where you live, so here is a list of ferret vets in all states in the U.S. - look up by state, then by city to find one closest to you:

VETS USA:
* http://www.quincyweb.net/quincy/vet.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/
* http://www.ferret-universe.com/vets/vetlist.asp
* http://www.ferretsanctuary.com/vets.shtml
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-vets.html
* http://ferrethealth.org/vets/

Just in case you can't afford a vet, here is a list of ferret shelters who can help you and your ferret - hopefully there is one in your area  - check same way as above. If not on one list, try another, each list is different:

SHELTERS/RESCUES - U.S.
* http://www.ferret.org/links/shelters.shtm
* http://www.everythingferret.com/ferret_shelters.htm
* http://groups.msn.com/Ferret/yourwebpage5.msnw
* http://www.ferretcentral.org/for-others/db-products.html
* http://www.ferretfacts.com/ferret-shelter-directory-us-ferret-shelters.htm

Hopefully y ou can find help in one of the above. I hope your ferret has made it to this point.  I will keep you and him in my thoughts and prayers. Again, I'm so very sorry your question didn't get answered sooner due to my illness.....  God bless.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers