Poisonous Plant?

Question
Hi Cassie

One of my ferrs Blossom is currently being treated for a very bad throat infection.  My vet has said she "ingested something which irritated her throat right down to her stomach" but he doesn't know what.  Thankfully she is on the mend, but of course I've been racking my brains to try and find out what she ingested as I'm very careful about such things.  She was in the garden both mornings before she got obviously sick and I did see her eat some fuchsia fruits that had dropped from the bush it being autumn.  They all do this at times with no obvious ill affects.  Can you tell me if these fruits could cause such a problem?  Obviously I need to remove the bush if it's possible before letting any of my ferrs back into the garden.

Thanks very much Cassie.

Mish

Answer
Ferrets are quite tricky when they see something they want to eat. Without seeing the ferret eat something it is likely not to know what it was that caused the infection.

I beyond ferret proof my house especially the main areas my ferrets play in. But I had a ferret get a very bad intestinal blockage enough to have surgery and they retrieved a pencil eraser the kind you stick on the pencil and I have NEVER owned these before.

If your ferrets have a place they like to stash things (usually under or behind a bed, couch, dresser, entertainment center) I would check that regularly to see if they are getting into something they shouldn't.

I checked all of my lists of poisonous plants and could not find Fuchsia Fruit on any of them. But ferrets should avoid fruits at all costs due to the sugar level they are not able to metabolize it quickly enough.

There are many many many other common plants that are poisonous as well so I would check the list and make sure you don't have any growing around or inside your home that they have access to.

http://www.texasferret.org/news/199801.shtml