Is this an emergency?

Question
QUESTION: Hi Cassie, my question is regarding my 3 year old ferret.
I have had two ferrets and just got a 3rd little boy three days ago. 2 days ago my oldest started having strange symptoms and I asked a person at my local pet store that sells ferrets about them. The person has had many ferrets themselves but I didn't feel sure enough.

He has been vomiting and being lazy occasionaly he coughs.
He has thrown up 3 times in 2 days. Once was after eating.
His stool also was very runny and looked to have little pieces in it looking like uncooked rice.
I don't know if it is because of the new ferret, a hairball, or something far worse.

I don't have the money to take him to the vet right away because I am expecting a baby in a few weeks and I am a mess. Do you believe this may be very serious, serious enough to take him to an emergency vet right away?

Thanks for any help.

ANSWER: Ok I know this is a gross question but is the poop normal color?
What food are you feeding?
Have you changed the food lately?
Is he eating and drinking his food normally?
Are any of the other ferrets show symptoms of anything?


Does it look like any of these?
http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-health/ferret-poop-sheet.aspx (yes those are pictures of ferret poop)

Did you quarantine the new ferret? If not the new ferret could have ECE and is passing it onto the other ferrets. If this is the case all 3 ferrets will need to see a vet ASAP.

It could be anything from a hairball (though the poop doesn't sound like on) to a severe intestinal infection.

If the vomiting and runny stool persist I would say that it warrants an E-vet visit. All of the liquids are coming out every time he vomits or passes runny stool which can dehydrate him quickly.

Good Luck and I hope it isn't anything serious.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have been feeding them the 8in1 Ultimate blend.
At one point another person was watching them for me and they ate some beneful dog food and some other kind of cat food. I don't know if that is what's causing the problem.
They haven't been eating any of that now though, they're back to they're food.
They get occasional treats.

I give them fresh food and water twice a day.
From what I've seen he eats his ferret food and drinks water pretty normally. Although sometimes he will just lick the FerreTone off the top.

He is 3, and my 2 1/2 year old ferret recently has also been kind of lazy. Today anyhow, although I was thinking it was because we had a big adventure yesterday.
Although I believe he has diarrhea also.

Looking at the diagram it's hard to tell, it's almost like the birdseed but not that color. It's more of a yellowish watery birdseed poop.

I did not quarantine the new one because he was from a petstore, where I got the other 2.

The oldest is the only one that coughs once in awhile.

Should I see if it will get better? Or would that be risky?
I thought about making him some duck soup, I also fed him some Gerber baby food because I was told it helps.

Thank you.

ANSWER: Is this the food? http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf_id=7017501&dept_id=255&

or this?
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf_id=7017504&dept_id=255

How long ago was the beneful and cat food?

Have you had the other 2 since they were babies or did you get them recently?

The yellow birdseed poop has me thinking it is the 2nd stage of E.C.E. But I am not a vet so I cannot diagnose.

I would suggest always quarantine a new ferret even though it came from the same pet store the new ferret could have easily caught something from the farm he came from to the pet store.

In my opinion it would be very risky to not take all of them to the vet because if one does indeed have ECE and you treat that one then take another the cycle will never end.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The type of food I feed them is the first one.

Here is an actual photo of the poop he took today that looked strange.
http://www.tinypic.com/r/qzrj3q/3

I have had them all since they were babies.
By quarantine do you mean take them to a vet for exams?
Or can I do this on my own?

I appreciate your help.

Answer
I would advise a vet visit. That poop doesn't look healthy at all.

The food you are feeding is an excellent food.

If they have no been into anything or eaten anything since the runny stool has started. I would guess it is an intestinal issue that needs to be addressed.

Quarantine is to make sure the new ferret doesn't have anything catching like EVE (epizootic catarrhal enteritis) or ADV (Aleutian Disease Virus) aka Parvo for ferrets. The ADV test which should be done on all new ferrets (pet stores do not share this information with you) takes 2 weeks for test results to come back in which time the new ferret should stay in a completely different home if possible. In their own cage and have no contact with any current ferrets until the results come back.

But based on the symptoms and the picture I would get your ferret to a vet as soon as possible.