I am worried he has a cold

Question
Hello, my name is Taryn.
I have a baby ferret named pan, he has been sneezing quite a bit and I am very worried he has a cold. How can you tell if they do have a cold? And what natural remedies are there to take care of this?

Answer
Ferrets are certainly susceptible to some forms of human influenza as well as upper respiratory infections.  These are characterized by sneezing, coughing, lethargy and possibly a decreased appetite and water consumption.

There are some things you certainly want to watch out for. Monitor his appetite, drinking habits and temperature.  You can purchase a rectal thermometer at any pharmacy and some lube to prevent any sore ferret bottoms!  A normal temperature for these guys is between 101 to 102 degrees, and anything greater than that is considered to be a fever.  

It is absolutely imperative that he eats and drinks.  A normal ferret must eat every 4-6 hours and can suffer serous consequences from a lack of appetite.  If he refuses food,  you can syringe feed him Duck Soup, which is a high calorie liquid.  The recipe, as well as a myriad of information, can be found in the link below.  

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

Dehydration is another concern.  There are two ways to check for this.  First, take a peek at your ferret's gums.  They should be pink, and have a prompt capillary refill time when you press on them.  If they are tacky to the touch or pale, that is a sign of dehydration.  Another way to test is by lightly pinching the skin, then releasing.  If it "springs" into place quickly, that is a good sign the body is properly hydrated.  If you think your ferret is still not drinking on his own, you can certainly force feed him some liquids though an oral syringe.  Do not give more than 10 mls at a time.  If you notice your little guy is still not drinking on his own, promptly see your veterinarian.  They can give subcutaneous fluid to help restore fluid levels within the body.

If he is not feeling well, I would expect him to be a bit lethargic and less playful.  As long as he is eating, drinking and maintains a relatively normal temperature, he should start to feel better in the next few days.  If he appears worse or does not have any interest in food or water, you should have him examined by your veterinarian.  If his cold is serious enough, he might need the aid of antibiotics to get better.

Please keep me posted as to his progress.  I hope he feels better soon!

-Cindy P.
E.R. Vet Tech