HELP.. possible rectal prolapse- about 12w.old

Question
Hi, I just recently added a little guy named Soren to my family. Since I bought him, he has had a somewhat poked out anus. Nothing that I thought was something worry about. But today after coming home from practice, I noticed that his anus was extremely swollen and red. the only thing i could imagine would be that it was the inside of his anus. There was also the worst smelling diarrhea in his cage, nothing solid in it that could of been an obstruction.
My questioin is.
Is there anyway I can fix this on my own? Im a college guy, and cant afford a vet trip. I tried putting preperation H on him and I saw somewhere that I should put his butt in ice water and that would help it. I did both today and it is much better, but he just defecated (not diarreha anymore) and it did not come out like it had earlier today, but it was still red and swollen.
can you suggest anything? Is it going to be like this for the rest of his life? does this sound life threatening?

I also mixed his dry food with water and microwaved it, so as to make it easier for digestion. or in hopes of making it easier.
Thanks for all your help.
Jamaal

Answer
Hi Jamaal:

Sorry I'm just now seeing your question.  You can dab a little Preparation H (found in the pharmacy in the hemmorhoid section) on his little bottom if it's still red. Do this 4 or 5 times a day and the rectum should retract by itself in time.

Getting the diarrhea under control should help too.  You can give him some Pepto Bismol -  5cc every 8 hours (or about a teaspoonful); or even a teaspoon of kaopectate would help - 5cc every 8 hours. If it continues more than a day or two, he will need to see a vet. Ferrets dehydrate from diarrhea really fast and you could lose him from that quicker than anything else. It would be a good idea to get a syringe without needle and feed him Pedialyte as long as he has diarrhea - that will help keep his electrolytes and fluids up....feed as much Pedialytes as possible, minimum of 15 to 30cc 4 or 5 times a day to sustain him.

Check for dehydration by pinching up the skin on the back of his neck. If it stays tented up when you let go, he is dehydrated and needs to see a vet NOW. If it snaps back down flat, then he isn't dehydrated and you don't have to worry about him. Most ferrets who have diarrhea for very long get dehydrated and need subQ fluids from a vet once or twice a day or they die. That will kill a ferret faster than anything, so keep a watch on his dehydration by checking his neck a couple times a day if he is still having diarrhea.

Best of luck - my thoughts and prayers are with you and with him. Hope he is all better by the time you get this.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers