Ferret News
Pet Ferret Care Tips
and Information
By Mary R. Shefferman & Eric Shefferman - along with Gabby, the ferret
www.ferretnews.com

Ferret News #62: Gastrointestinal Ulcers in Ferrets - Ferrets Need Medical Attention Fast
April 27, 2004

by Mary R. Shefferman and Eric Shefferman
along with Gabrielle (the lone ferret)

contact: marymodernferret.com

Gastrointestinal Ulcers

By Mary R. Shefferman

  Gastrointestinal ulcers occur with some frequency in ferrets. They are more likely to occur in a ferret who has another medical problem which stresses the body. For example, a ferret may develop an ulcer after surgery for adrenal disease or other ailment. Thus, it is very important to keep a close eye on any ferret who has had a recent surgery or illness or who is not behaving like herself. Ulcers are treatable, but the sooner your ferret gets veterinary attention, the better.

Ulcer Causes

  The most common cause of ulcer in the ferret is a bacteria called Helicobacter mustelae. It is related to Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes ulcers in humans. Stress from a physical illness, surgery, excessive caging, or other difficult circumstance can wear down the body's natural defenses, allowing for overgrowth of H. mustelae in the stomach. A foreign object (for example, a piece of rubber or foam, nuts, hard vegetables) may have been temporarily lodged in the stomach or intestines, creating an erosion in the stomach or intestinal wall. Even hairballs can cause ulcers.

  Obviously, not all these things are preventable. But you can reduce the chances of your ferret getting an ulcer by making sure his environment is free of dangerous items he might swallow (such as foam rubber). Giving hairball treatment regularly can significantly reduce the occurrence of hairballs. Giving your ferret only ferret-safe treats (NO nuts or hard veggies like carrots) can prevent stomach or intestinal damage caused by foods your ferret can't digest. Giving your ferret plenty of out-of-cage time and intellectually stimulating toys and games can reduce stress caused by boredom or excessive caging. Keeping your ferret's stress level at a minimum will help him be overall healthier.

Signs of Ulcer

• Black, tar-like stool (a sign of digested blood)
• Lack of appetite, refusal to eat or drink (even treats)
• Grinding teeth (a sign of pain)
• Pawing at mouth (a sign of nausea)
• Weight loss
• Lethargy, lack of play

  If you notice any of these signs of ulcer, get your ferret to the vet. The sooner an ulcer is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances that your ferret will come through all right.

Ulcer Treatment

    Because most ulcers are caused by an overgrowth of H. mustelae, the current treatment of choice is a 2-week course of antibiotics along with medications to alleviate symptoms. The current treatment of choice is Biaxin (clarithromycin) and amoxicillin along with either cimetidine (Tagamet) or famotidine (Pepcid) and sucralfate suspension (Carafate).

  The antibiotics (clarithromycin and amoxicillin) destroy the Helicobacter. The acid reducer (cimetidine or famotidine) prevents further damage by stomach acid. The sucralfate is given 15 to 20 minutes before feeding to coat the stomach and reduce the pain associated with eating.

  Previously, ferrets were given Flagyl (metronidazole) and amoxicillin for 4 to 6 weeks; however, because ferrets hate the taste of Flagyl, this regimen often caused more stress to the ferret (thus making the condition worse). Ferrets seem to better tolerate the Biaxin/amoxicillin regimen.

  As with any antibiotic treatment, it is crucial to finish the entire course prescribed by your veterinarian. Don't stop treatment because your ferret seems better; the only way to effectively eradicate the H. mustelae is with a several-week course of antibiotics.

  While your ferret is being treated for a gastrointestinal ulcer, you may want to feed him something that's easy to digest. Your vet may have you feed Hill's a/d or you may want to feed chicken baby food. You may have to feed your ferret by hand. Most ferrets will lick food off your finger. When our Marshmallow had to have frequent meals because of insulinoma, we used a baby spoon to feed him. In some cases your ferret may need to be syringe fed (with a feeding syringe, not one with a needle); ask your veterinarian or vet tech to show you exactly how to do this. If syringe feeding is not done properly, you can harm your ferret. In many cases, "force-feeding" or syringe feeding is not necessary because the ferret will lick the food from your finger.

  After your ferret has completed the course of antibiotics, continue to monitor his litter box and behavior to make sure he's doing all right. If he shows any further signs of ulcer, have him checked again by your veterinarian.

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Did You Know That ...

By Mary R. Shefferman

  Ferrets need medical attention fast. Because they are small, they can go downhill very quickly if they are ill. Where you might wait a couple of days to bring a medium sized dog to the vet, you don't have that luxury with a ferret. This is especially true if the ferret has diarrhea or is vomiting. Ferrets get dehydrated quickly (again, because they are small animals), and dehydration makes everything worse.

  If you haven't already found a ferret-knowledgeable vet, now is the time to do so. If you have a vet, but not a vet for emergencies, now is the time to do so. You don't want to be trying to locate an emergency vet at 2 AM on Sunday. Ask your vet for a recommendation. Then double-check with the emergency vet for their hours, fees, and directions. Keep all this information by your phone.

  If you are having a problem finding a ferret-knowledgeable vet, try asking at a pet shop or a local animal or ferret shelter. You can also call several vets in your area and ask them if they see ferrets, and, if so, how many. Ask if they've done surgeries on ferrets. If you already have a vet you like, but he or she doesn't know a lot about ferrets, you might consider getting him or her a veterinary text on ferrets. If your vet is willing to learn, that can be just as valuable as having a vet who already knows about ferrets.

Get Your Ferret Food Online!

  That's it for this newsletter. Check out the archives for more ferret life-saving information!

--Mary, Eric & Gabby (the Lone Ferret)

  Stay tuned for more. You can always get updates by reading my blog (a blog is an online journal). I keep it sporadically and it usually runs to the more personal stuff. But you might like it. It's at

http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary

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Copyright 2004 Modern Ferret magazine.
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