Keeping a ferret healthy - vet tests

Question
My ferret is a little over 3 years old now. I know that ferrets have a 'iffy' lifespan due to various issues that can come about, though I am not sure what the 'average' is of most ferrets. Regardless, I was wondering if there should be any requests I make of my vet for her next visit in the fall of this year, and years to come so I can try and help my ferret live a longer, healthier life, or at least not be side-swiped by surprise problems down the road. I know ferrets are prone to getting different cancers and other problems, what age is good to start getting them tested? Also do ferrets need to change their diet as they get older or other things like that?

Answer
Hi Holly:

Age three is about middle age and the time when we see ferrets getting all kinds of sicknesses and mostly cancers. Hopefully you've not given her any sweets up until now. Feeding ferrets sugars of ANY kind (anything that has any ingredient ending in "ose" is a sugar such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, etc), molasses, honey, even "natural" sugars count on this one - cause insulinoma, cancer of the pancreas. That's a fairly new finding.  Ferrets are obligate carnivores - i.e. meat eaters - so they have no business eating anything othr than meat based products.

At around age 3 we also see a lot of adrenal disease, usually first obvious by dry itchy skin and loss of fur around the base of the tail; and ONLY cured by surgical removal of the adrenal glands.

Hopefully you've kept her up on her vaccinations - rabies and distemper - yearly. These are important because especially distemper can be brought into your home on your shoes. Your ferret never even has to leave the house to get it and it is almost always deadly. It's a horrible, painful disease that makes them wish they were dead at the very least. These are completely avoidable by yearly vaccinations. Have your yearly vaccinations preceded 15 minutes by a benadryl injection to avoid your ferret having an allergic reaction to the shots - also deadly and quite sudden.  NEVER LET A VET GIVE YOUR FERRET A VACCINATION WITHOUT HAVING THIS BENADRYL PRE-TREATMENT!!!  I had a ferret who had a reaction WITH a pre-treatment and her heart stopped, she went into full cardiac arrest and had anaphylactic shock and died three times, but we were able to save her. She wouldn't have had a chance without the benadryl pre=treatment.

She should be having yearly checkups at this age. Other than that, just keep an eye out for anything as you always do - anytime they stop eating or lose even the slightest amount of weight - get them to the vet to see what's going on.  Keep aware on a daily basis of what your ferret's energy level, eating habits, pooping habits (intestinal blockages are common, especially if you dont treat regularly for them) and all the things ferret parents always watch for. Furballs can really build up by this age, so be sure to do the Vetasyl/a/d 3-day treatment (see my other posts on this or write again for details on it) for best results to avoid intestinal blockages safely.

Keep her cool - older ferrets sometimes overheat easier than younger ones. Below 80 degrees is best for older ferrets. Fans are USELESS for ferrets unless the ferret is wet, which is not at all a good idea - fans only work when they are evaporating water - otherwise they only move air, they do NOT cool. They cool people because we sweat; ferrets do not sweat, so they are useless for ferrets.

Any change in daily habits should always be questioned. If you've had her on a very very high protein diet, now is the time to lower it a bit to be easier on the kidneys. Totally Ferret has a formula with lower protein and other ingredients older ferrets need that I recommend. Age three is a little early to put her on it - about age 4 to 5 is the right age unless you've had her on a really high protein diet (50% lower it to about 35%)...then go to the older diet foods at about ago 4.5 to 5 as long as she is healthy in every other way.

Love her lots, take LOTS of pictures and know you won't have her forever. That's the best advice I can give any ferret owner.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers