Typical Ferret Vet Fees

Question
Hello! Would you mind listing the most common ferret illnesses/emergencies and what the ballpark vet costs are for treatment of them?  I know vets are more or less expensive depending on area, but just to have an estimate would be great. Thank you so much!

Answer
Dear Beckie,

Of course you know that I must say the usual "I'm not a vet" tra la la, and so on.  :-)

I've been fortunate enough to not have very many emergencies, and so will have a hard time saying that X disease needs so-and-so tests from the vet in order to treat it.  I will do my best, though, and if you need more elaboration you can ask a vet right here in this AllExperts website under "Pets".

Common Ferret Ailments:

The flu - Can be treated at home unless symptoms persist for more than 5 days or if it interferes with food intake or elimination.  Est. vet bill: $90

Hairballs - Can be prevented with regular doses of FerretLax and treated with the same product.  Failure to pass hairball will result in vet.  Needs an x-ray or a barium study.  Est cost: $250

Blockages - Caused by ferret nibbling on rubber balls, plastic, fruit, litter, bedding.  Needs an x-ray or a barium study, and surgery with anesthetic to remove foreign object if it is too big to pass.  Est cost: $3000

Teeth - The two most common tooth problems in ferrets are periodontal disease and fractured canines. Periodontal disease involves infection of the bones, gums and tissue connecting the teeth. This is caused by plaque and tartar buildup, receding gum lines or age.  Plaque and tartar buildup are also common and can be kept to a minimum with regular cleanings. Your vet can show you how to do maintenance cleanings but your vet will may also need to clean the teeth periodically under anesthesia.  Est cost: $150 (mostly because of the anesthesia)

Adrenal disease - Please refer to this excellent page at Ferret Central for a complete understanding of this serious disease : http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/adrenal.html

Insulinoma - See : http://www.ferretcentral.org/faq/med/insulin.html

There are many other things your ferret can get (ECE, mast cell tumors, etc.) but these are the most common things that can go wrong with your babies.

Stephenie