ferret coughing?

Question
I have a male and a female ferret both neutered that live in the same cage and get along great. They are both approx. 3 years of age. The cage is kept very clean and it is one of those 3 story ferret nation huge condo cages so that they have plenty of room to sleep and play. I also give they play time outside the cage in the house every other day for an hour or so. The male is doing fine but the female is taking coughing spells at least once a day that are very different from having a hairball. I have treated them both for hairballs a few times over the 3 years so I know what that is like. I have had her to the vet and they say she checks out fine. She is in good health and weight to give her lax twice a day and see if that helps. But of course she wasn't coughing for them to see. When she is having a coughing spell it lasts about 10 to 15 min. She has her mouth completely open with her tounge relaxed and out some. I have looked in her mouth and I don't see anything wrong or in there. She breathes very hard and loud and fast making a coughing, weasing sound and her heartbeat is faster and harder than normal and her chest and stomach is moving up and down very intensely. I can tell it is different from a hairball and that something else may be wrong. Her stool is normal looking and she eats and drinks and uses her pan regularly. So I am hoping to get an opinion from you based on experience that may help. Or something you may be able to suggest for going back to the vet with for them to check specifically. Or something I may be able to try to do to help her that might give me and the vet a better idea to tell what her condition might be. Have you had an experience with anything close or the same to this in your years of experience? Or possibly know someone who has? Thank you for your time and opinion. Leah

Answer
Hello Leah!  It's concerning when anything is wrong with your little guys!  I know I worry constantly about mine.  

Coughing can be caused by many things.  The most common cause is a hairball.  Yes, it's that time of year (every fall and spring) where ferrets shed their coats. It is a possibility that should not be overlooked.  If there is no vomiting or diarrhea it is unlikely that there is an obstruction due to a mass of fur.  Since you mentioned that it does not "sound " like it when she coughs, we should look at some of the other possibilities.    

Coughing can also be caused by viral colds.  Ferrets can catch human viruses, such as certain strains of flu.  Luckily, this is a one way ticket and they cannot pass it back to you.  If this is the case, he may become lethargic, have a loss of appetite or spike a fever.  It is wise to monitor her closely in this situation.  A ferret that goes without food or water for more than 4-6 hours can be a serious health risk.  She could quickly loose needed weight or become dehydrated.  You should syringe feed her food and water in small amounts every 2-4 hours and seek veterinary care ASAP.  I have a link to a great website that gives a recipe for duck soup (that's just it's name.. no duck in it!) that works very well as emergency care for sick ferrets.  

http://www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html

this website has plenty of wonderful information.  You should check it out.  

Besides human colds, ferrets can get a viral/bacterial condition known as kennel cough (Bordatella).  Normally, this is spread by dogs and it is very contagious.  Ferrets can contract this disease (not humans, luckily), and if boarded at a kennel often require vaccination just as dogs do.  In a young healthy animal, kennel cough can go away on it's own.  Sometimes, however, antibiotics are needed to help the process.  Kennel cough is rare in ferrets only because exposure is limited.  If you have a dog that has been around other canines, or she has been boarded in a facility that houses numerous dogs, it is a possibility. Otherwise, I would consider this a very unlikely cause for your ferret's coughing.  

Not all dogs who are infected show symptoms of kennel cough, and the vaccine is not 100 percent effective (only against the viral strains, not the bacterial).  The symptoms of Bordatella are a deep hacking cough, lethargy and a high fever.     

It is a good idea to take her temperature using a rectal thermometer and some KY jelly.  A normal ferret's temperature should be about 101-103 degrees F.  Any higher is a fever, with 105 being SERIOUS.  If she spikes a high fever at any time, please seek veterinary care ASAP.

Coughing can also be caused by irritation to the throat.  Has she gotten into anything she usually does not eat?  Even a slight irritation can cause quite dramatic coughs, so we should not rule this out as a possibility.  

Coughing can also be a symptom of other conditions, such as heart problems.  If the coughing does not resolve shortly, please make an appointment with your veterinarian for diagnostics.  Whether it is a cold or hairball, it should clear up in a week or so.  Monitor her diet, activity level and overall comfort.  If strange behavior emerges, or the coughing becomes more severe, she may need antibiotics or another medication to help her get over it.

One thing you should do is separate her from your male for the meantime.  Colds and kennel cough are very contagious, and there is a possibility that he could become infected.  Also, this would allow you to better monitor her fluid and food intake as well as waste elimination.      

I hope this information has proved useful.  Please keep me posted to her progress!

- Cindy P.