my ferret Rosie is sick

Question
my ferret has a dry nose, and is very week, she has diareah and a bloody rectum, what can I do? I do not have money to take her to the vet, but I love her very much please help me.

Answer
Unfortunately, this is a situation that would need to be seen by a veterinarian if is does not clear up by tomorrow.  Dehydration can be fatal if it goes untreated, even if there is not an underlying cause. I do have several questions.  Is there blood in the stool, or is the rectum bloody from the persistent diarrhea irritating the area?  Also, is he eating normally? If not, he needs IMMEDIATE medical attention since a healthy ferret needs to eat every 4-6 hours.   

Diarrhea can be due to a number of causes, and some far more serious than others.  Here are some possibilities that come to mind:

1.  Parasites.  Ferrets are susceptible to many forms of parasites that cats and dogs can carry.  Roundworms, coccidia, whipworms, giardia, etc can all have diarrhea as a symptom.  This is something that can only be diagnosed and tested by a veterinarian by testing a fecal sample.

2.  ECE/ Green Diarrhea:  This is a rather new virus that affects ferrets.  The resulting liquid stool is a bight green to yellow color.  The disease prevents water and food from being readily absorbed in the intestines, and therefore the ferret would need immediate medical attention.  This is also highly contagious, so if you think this might be the condition, please do not expose your pet to any other ferrets.

3.  IBD:  Irritable bowl disorder affects many pets and humans.  It is caused by a sensitive stomach that is not properly absorbing the nutrients.  It is a condition that your pet will likely always have, but can be managed by using special foods that are easy on the digestive tract or medication.

4.  Did you change your pet's food recently?  Ferrets have very sensitive stomachs and need a slow transition by mixing in a small amount of the new food for the first few days.  A sudden change in diet can (and likely will) cause diarrhea.

5.  Stress.  Did you add a new pet into the family, move or have a baby?  Any of these, or similar situations can cause stress on a pet that could lead to GI upset.  This should resolve itself if this is the case.      

There are other possibilities, but these are the most prominent that I generally see.  Your veterinarian would need to see the ferret to diagnose a cause.   

One concern is dehydration.  Since your ferret has had diarrhea, he is loosing a lot of water in the stool and not absorbing it into his body.  This could be why he is weak and lethargic.    

There are two ways to check for dehydration.  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 guys is still not drinking on his own, promptly see your veterinarian.  They can give subcutaneous fluid to help restore fluid levels within the body, and a lack of thirst can be a symptom of a more serious condition.

Here is a website with a small portion about diarrhea:
http://www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html

I would recommend a trip to the vet to get a diagnosis about what has been going on.  Your ferret might need antibiotics, dewormers, or tummy medication such as flagyl or famotadine.  Best of luck, and please keep me posted!