ferret teeth grinding

Question
My ferret has gotten very skinny to the point of force feeding, he wont drink anywater unless from a bottle.  He also grinds his teeth a lot and is very lethargic. Please help, Im very worried about him.

Answer
Hi Eli,

Thanks for writing. Has this been going on for a long time? How old is he? Has he ever displayed these symptoms before?

Your ferret needs to see a vet and I would have recommended that he see one as soon as he started losing weight, displaying lethargy, and grinding his teeth (ferrets don't weigh much and weight change, however small, can be very significant). Teeth grinding usually means stomach or gastrointestinal irritation. He may have irritable bowel syndrome, an ulcer, or just a tummy ache. It's likely that this is why he is skinny since he's probably not eating much since his gut is bothering him. How are his stools? He might have an intestinal blockage.

These symptoms are common in ferrets but they are non-specific and could mean dozens of different things. I can't diagnose what's wrong with your ferret - only a ferret-knowledgeable vet can diagnose what's wrong with him. Severe weight loss and lethargy is very serious in a ferret, as is a situation where he has to be force fed. Please take him to the vet right away.

Meanwhile, make a soup out of ground up ferret food, some Ferretvite or Furovite paste (available at any pet store), and warm water. Put it in a blender if you have one. Feed 30mL every day, or as much as he will eat. Use a large syringe. This will help maintain his weight, blood glucose, and energy until you can get him to the vet.

Good luck,
DG