Harnes creating rash

Question
My ferret Mayu(2 years old) started getting rashes from her "H" harness. I had to stop walking her all together. Her skin is fine now, but she has actually lost a little of the outer fur in a  line where the harness goes. This is really sad because we used to walk at least two hours together.

She is an only ferret and usually gets bored with me quickly when it comes to normal play.
If I can't activate her trough walks, I don't know what to do.

She is on Hills z/d for allergic cats, prescribed by my vet because she seems to be allergic to regular ferret food. Could her condition make her skin this sensitive? This hasn't happened before and we walked a lot.

What can I do?

Answer
Hello Catharina,

Yes allergies in pets tend to present as skin problems. They can be itchy and even loose fur.  It is a real headache to treat since it is hard to pinpoint the cause.  It could be food, environmental, flea allergy, etc.   

I do have a question for you.  What diet were you feeding before you started the prescription and how knowledgeable is your vet with ferret nutrition?  

Ferrets have very specific nutritional requirements that Z/D does not meet and I am concerned it can be  doing more harm than good.  It does not have nearly enough protein (ferrets need around 40-45%) and the first three ingredients should be meat based.  18% is ok for fat, but I like it to be more around 20%.  There should be NO carbohydrates or vegetables matter in the top three ingredients since they are obligate carnivores and cannot digest plant material. Below are the first three ingredients for the Z/D diet as well as the protein and fat percents.   

Hills Z/D Feline (canned):  

Protein   33.7
Fat   18.2

First three ingredients:  Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Water, Corn Starch

Hills Z/D Feline (dry):

Protein   33.0
Fat   16.1

First three ingredients: Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Hydrolyzed Chicken

According to the veterinary dermatologist at my school, Z/D is  not the best diet to feed an allergic pet.  She had a talk about it and said that the most common food allergy is to chicken.  Z/D contains "modified chicken" which might work for some pets, but it usually just causes more problems.  Did your vet have any other ideas on what else to feed or give you other options?

Perhaps you should try a high quality ferret diet and see if that helps.  (see below) These recommended diets are not  hypoallergenic, but perhaps by feeding something of very high quality, she might not have dermatological issues. If it persists, you might have to a new protein source your ferret has never tried, such as rabbit.  The problem is there is no diet formulated for ferrets (Hills D/D rabbit and pea was the one the dermatologist recommended instead of Z/d) but you will have the same problem with the wrong ingredients or specifications for a ferret.  Perhaps you can ask your vet about alternatives or further testing that might pinpoint the problem.

Nutrition is ESSENTIAL to ferret health and well being and they have different requirements than cats and dogs.  Make sure you are feeding a HIGH quality, grain free diet.  Ferrets are obligate carnivores and cannot digest plant material.  The diet should be high in protein (about 45 percent) and high in fat (about 20 percent).  It should also have low fiber.  

The first three ingredients should be meat-based, and not contain by-products since these are mostly devoid of valuable nutrition.  Also, the food should be low in carbohydrates (corn, rice, potatoes, etc) since they cannot digest them.

Here are some brands I recommend:

Wysong Archetypal-1 (beef) or Archetypal-2 (chicken)
http://www.wysong.net/products/archetypal-1-natural-healthy-ferret-food.php
http://www.wysong.net/products/archetypal-2-natural-healthy-ferret-food.php

****Type II has 35% protein so mix with a high protein brand, such as Type I or Wellness****

Wellness Core Feline
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_wellness_dry_core.html

Innova Ferret EVO (Or cat version if not available)
http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=15

Wilderness by Blue Buffalo
http://www.bluebuff.com/products/cats/wilderness-cat.shtml

Serengeti Cat (Timberwolf brand)
http://www.timberwolforganics.com/Pet-Foods/Serengetii
****36% protein so mix with a high protein brand, such as Wellness****

Brands I Do not recommend:  Marshall Farms, Totally Ferret, 8-in-one, IAMS, Kaycee ferret, etc.   

This list is by no means all inclusive.  There are many other good types available, just check the labels. Not all premium kitten/cat kibble is good for these guys, and not even all brands of ferret-specific food!  Every brand is different, and that is why I tend to choose 3 of the best, and create a mixture. I currently feed a mix of Core Wellness, Wilderness and Wysong, although it varies from month to month with what is available.       

It is difficult to change a ferret's diet once they have imprinted on a certain brand.  Imprinting on certain foods happens at a very young age, and most will turn up their noses to anything else!   If you decide to switch brands, always introduce the new type by mixing it in with the old kibble.  I generally start with a 25/75 mixture, then increase the amount of new food over the next few days.  This allows the sensitive ferret tummies and taste buds to get used to the new diet.  Changing food too quickly can result in nasty vomiting and diarrhea.

Remember to store all extra food in airtight containers (Such as for cereal storage).  If you buy three kinds of kibble, it will last you awhile!  Also, change the kibble in your ferret's bowl DAILY.  These brands contain vitamins that can go rancid quickly and cause stomach problems.  

Stay away from vegetables, fruits and milk products as treats.  Raisins can cause kidney failure, and too much sugar (anything that ends with -ose) can lead to insulinoma and other complications. I feed my guys dehydrated 100% chicken treats with no additives as snacks.  These can be found in the canine section of your local pet store.  Another obscure (but healthy) treat is live meal worms.  These can be found at any pet store, and I haven't met a ferret who didn't love them yet.

There is a short FAQ that contains some info on nutrition from the AFA's Official Website:

http://www.ferret.org/read/faq.html

I hope this answers your question!  Sorry that my response is so lengthy, but I wanted to cover all of the important points =3

Remember... Always check the ingredients for whatever you buy, since most store bought brands are not good for the little girl!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
-Cindy P.