black stools

Question
QUESTION: I have a ferret that was 1 year old in September.  She has always had black thin wet stools.  She is a very small ferret.  Overall she is very active and eats well.  I give her drops in her water to cut down her odor but other than that she eats marshalls and other types of ferret foods.   I want to make sure that there is not an unlying problem that I am not aware of.  Please let me know.  Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Angie,

I don't mean to alarm you, but there could be a very serious problem with your little girl. Black, tarry stool is a sign of blood in the stool and not only that, but it is a sign that the blood has been digested somewhere along the line, which could signify a number of things, and none of them are good!

You really need to get her into the vet as soon as possible, preferably tonight. Is there an emergency vet in your area? You really need to get your little girl into the vet. Has she been acting strange? Has she been acting lethargic? Has she been eating and drinking? If she is still eating and drinking, then I would just keep an eye on her until you can get her into the vet, but Angie, this is a major problem and something needs to be done.

Make sure is staying hydrated at least, and if she eats, I wouldn't let her eat too much. If this is an intestinal blockage, too much going down the GI tract could cause a rupture. Make sure she is staying hydrated in the meantime, and again, please get her into the vet as soon as possible!!!

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews

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

QUESTION: OK you are going to think I am completely insane.  After I sent the second message, I went to look at her litter box.  She had a fresh poop and it was brown but very wet (not loose),  the dry poop is black.  I appreciate you being so helpful and patient.  She is very important to us and if I need to change something in order for her life to be better, then I want to make sure that I do that.  Thanks again for any help you can give.

Answer
Hello Angie,

No, I don't think you're crazy! I do that sometimes, too! When their poops dry out, they do tend to blacken. Well, at least that is what our kids' does! As long as her fresh poops are brown and on the firm side (i.e. they have a shape) then she should be fine.

Marshall females tend to run pretty small. That is just the reality of it. I've read that it is because they are spayed so early, that the hormones that would normally be in their bodies to help them grow aren't there. Our female is a bit on the small side as well. She is healthy, though and she eats so we don't worry too much.

If you are feeding Marshall's as her only food, then I might suggest a switch. Here is some more info:

You should feed your ferret a food that has about 36% protein, 20-22% fat and no more than 3% fiber. Also, taurine should be in there somewhere. Here is a chart listing some of the foods that people feed their ferrets:

http://www.mdferretpaws.org/care/food_treats.html

I would stay above a nine in the ranking if I were you. Another thing you want to look for in the food is that at least 3 of the first 5 ingredients are from meat products (and not fish). Also, stay away from foods with corn or corn products listed in the first three to five ingredients.

If you are feeding a food that doesn't quite go up to par as far as quality, you should switch her food . You need to make the change gradually because ferrets imprint on their food at a young age and they don't recognize anything else as food. Also, you're going to want to do it gradually to be easier on her tummy. You will probably see looser stool than normal for a few days. Just keep an eye on that and make sure she is staying hydrated. If it lasts for more than a week or if she gets dehydrated or stops eating, you should have her checked out by a qualified ferret vet. You should start out with about 85% old food and 15% new food. Keep that ratio for a few days and then put 75% old food and 25% new food and continue that for a few days and so on. You could even mix a couple high quality foods if you wanted to, just in case your normal food changes formula and your little girl won't eat it!


Like I said in there, ferrets don't take well to having their foods switched. It upsets their tummies so that may be the reason for her change in stool that you notice when you switch her food. I would pick a high quality one and just stick with that. Or, if you'd like, several high quality foods!

I hope this helps, and don't worry, I don't think you're crazy at all! You care enough to notice something's wrong and to ask about it, so you're good in my book! Ha ha.

If you have further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews