Poisonous outdoor plants.

Question
Hi, Cindy. I had a question that's been spinning in my head since this past Sunday. I took my ferrets (I had four.) outside on their harnesses to get some fresh air. They had just got harnesses for their birthday so this was not in the norm. They had only been outside a few times. I let them play in some bushes. They seemed to be having a lot of fun. Then we headed inside.

Almost immediately after I got inside, one of them starting having a seizure. I panicked, called an emergency vet, and took him in. Unfortunately the only emergency clinic that was open was about 20 minutes away...so my baby was seizuring the whole way...

I got him there and they stopped his seizuring. They asked me what had happened recently. When I thought about how they had been outside, I immediately was concerned about the other three. I called my room mate and told her to check them. She said they all seemed to have something wrong so she brought them in. So all four were in the hospital, breathing oddly, and delirious. My first boy kept going in and out of the seizures. He died eventually.

As I write this, the other three are still recovering in the hospital. There is definitely more hope for them. But my question is what could have done this to them? I investigated outside after this incident. There is a small plant growing outside the house. The leafs are spiky and seem to leave small splinters in you when you touch them. And it BURNS. Could this be what killed my baby? I can't find it online when I look.

I'm just devastated...I want to know what happened to my poor baby. I want to know why my other babies are fighting for their lives. I feel so horrible. I don't think I could ever forgive myself for this. Please help!

Answer

Stinging Nettle Hello,

I am so sorry to hear about your poor ferret, and I am very glad the other three are getting better with treatment  The important thing is not to blame yourself.  Such accidents can happen to anyone, and it was NOT intentional.  I can tell you love your ferrets every much and you did the right thing by bringing them into the ER vet right away.  

I am trying to think of what sort of plant you mean.  If you live in the USA my best guess is  stinging nettle/common nettle (Urtica dioica) or a similar species. I have attached a picture of what it looks like.  It is commonly known as "seven minute itch" and it can be found nearly everywhere in North America.  It has many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on its leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles that inject histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals.  The plant is not particularly dangerous if indeed it is what you found.  It causes an unpleasant itching sensation when touched, but I doubt it would cause seizures in your pets.

If the plant cannot be identified, try to find out in a library (there are all types of identification manuals) or bring a sample to someone who might know.  Determining exactly what caused the incident is important and may help treat your other three ferrets with more success.  

Since all four ferrets were affected, my best guess is they all came in contact with the same potent toxin.  Since they were on a leash and under your supervision, I think we can rule out ingesting the toxin directly unless you saw them actively chew on something.  I  do have a sneaking suspicion that they might have gotten poisoned some other way.  One of my top guesses would be a lawn treatment.  Some pretty harmful chemicals and pesticides are used on lawns, and all four ferrets would be exposed if they were walking in the grass.  If this is the case, they could have gotten the toxins onto their fur and licked it off.  Was your lawn recently treated?  Or if you live in an apartment and are unsure, ask your landlord if chemicals/pesticides are applied to the lawn or nearby areas.   

Another common thing that causes seizures is topical flea medication.  Do you use it on your ferrets?  If so, double check the box and make sure it is a safe brand and appropriate dose.  I have seen this all too frequently in cats that were mistakenly given topical flea medication meant for dogs that result in seizures. This is a bit less likely since you probably would have already made the connection that something you applied an hour ago is now causing seizures.  I just want you to be aware that it can happen and flea medication is a common cause in small pets.   

Another thing you can do is send off the body for necropsy and toxicology.   It might help enlighten exactly what caused the seizures, and prevent any further problems.  For example, if it is due to pesticides or lawn treatment, other pets like dogs, cats and even children can be in danger, especially with repeated exposure. If you are interested in submitting toxicology, inquire with your vet about how to go about that.  

Best of luck with your other three ferrets, and again I am very sorry that this happened to your fuzzies.  

-Cindy P.

-Cindy P.