Traveling With Ferrets Part 3

If you are a long term reader you know that the boys and I are getting ready for a road trip to Utah to attend the Blog Paws conference.

For those just now finding this blog check a few of the earlier posts.

What many people don’t realize is that you need to have a health
certificate for any pet traveling across state lines or around the world. These are obtained from you vet.

Many of us pet owners have a tendency to spell out going to the vet because Fido or Puss have learned that isn’t a fun place to go. I tell the boys where we are going and why. I am sure many will say that they are just animals and don’t understand. I disagree. I have found that by telling my two boys what is going on reduces the amount of stress they have.

So on Wednesday Manny and Marcuz had their vet visit with their vet Dr. DoverSpike. We had to make the appointment in May as Dr. DoverSpike is very popular and is well versed in ferret care.

Both the boys had a physical that Marcuz wasn’t overly happy with and decided he wanted to let doc know it. Marcuz took a nip at him but Dr. DoverSpike was ready for Marcuz and all that happened was a small pinch.

Manny and Marcuz also got vaccinated for rabies and distemper. Unlike dogs and cats who can get a three year rabies shot. Ferrets should be vaccinated every year.

Ferrets can also contract distemper from canines. Depending on how many ferrets a veterinarian clinic treats they might have ferret distemper vaccine but because the Franklin Animal Clinic only sees a few ferrets they don’t keep  the ferret distemper vaccine on hand because it goes bad more often than it is given. Thankfully ferrets can be vaccinated with canine distemper vaccine.

Both boys got vaccinated by the tech. Unfortunately it was given in the hind end. When Manny got certified as a therapy ferret he was given his vaccinations in the scruff of his neck. I am not sure if there is a reason for what location is used or if it was just easier for the tech to given the shots in the butt.

Some ferrets react badly to vaccinations so it is always a good idea to stick around the clinic for 30 minutes encase they do have a reaction. This is also true for ferrets that have never had a reaction before. The old adage “Better safe than sorry.” applies here.

I also discussed heartworm preventative with Dr. DoverSpike which surprised him that I even knew that ferrets could get heartworms and I found out that in our area there is almost no heartworm issue and the two dogs a year he treats often have relocated from down south to the area. But he did look up what is recommended as a heartworm preventive for ferrets. I was surprised to learn that one of them is a topical application of revolution.

Dr. DoverSpike gave my boys the best compliment which was that they were the most well behaved, calm ferrets he has ever seen.

So now the boys are truly ready for the road trip to Utah. Blog Paws here we come! Salt Lake City you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Have a chittering good day,

Jo

Medical Care

Not all veterinarians take care of ferrets. Having a vet that knows about ferrets is a plus when you have to take your fuzzy butt to get his/her vaccines or they are sick or injured.

Vets that take care of ferrets are often referred to as an exotic vet.
This does not mean that the ferret is a wild animal. There are two categories of exotics. Wild exotic and domestic exotic, all the word exotic refers to is the fact you have decided to have an unusual pet.

Be pro active in the care of your ferret. Don’t know what something means then ask. Most are willing to tell you what they meant and how it will affect your ferret.

I have had both good and bad vet experiences. The bad vet had only her opinion and would not except any other possible outcomes, my new and great vet not only tells me what he thinks is going on with my fur babies but will discuss different options with me.

I am constantly asking questions and doing my own independent research about ferrets, something more ferret owners need to do.

Ferrets need to have a rabies vaccine and canine distemper and should also have a heartworm preventative as all of these can prove to be fatal for your ferret.

Ferrets are prone to certain issues such as:

Adrenal
Insulinoma
Mast cell tumors
Juvenile carcinoma

These four top the list of medical issues. There is also the flu, bruises, broken bones, teeth, hearing, and eye problems.

Ferrets can get/give the flu from/to you and while you can treat the flu at home you need to be aware of any changes that don’t seem to be part of having the flu.

This is just a brief overview of some of the medical care a ferret could need in his/her short lifespan. By being proactive in your ferret’s healthcare you know you are doing the very best for them. Medical care can range from a hundred dollars: Basic office visit, to the thousands: surgery or nercropsy

While there are a couple of pet insurances that do cover ferrets be sure to read the fine print as they don’t often cover certain surgeries or types of care.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

Summer Heat and other dangers

 

     It isn’t officially summer yet but the heat has already arrived. Heat is an animal’s worst nightmare. Unlike us they can’t strip down to bare skin. That fur retains the heat and depending on the color of the fur can intensify the temperature. I still see news reports of people leaving their pets in locked cars when they run into a store for an errand only to come back to an animal that is having heat stroke and most often dies.

     Ferrets don’t tolerate the heat well they like it best when it is about 68 degrees. So when the heat soars into the 80s and 90s they are at risk for heat exhaustion and stroke.

     To help these little guys beat the heat keep their water bottle/bowl filled with water. Even we drink more during liquids during the heat.

     If you have air-conditioning in only one room you can move their cage into that room but not in front of it.

     I don’t have air-conditioning so I take empty bottles and fill them about half full of water and freeze them. I then cover the frozen bottle with a sock or old tee-shirt depending on the size of the bottle and place it in the boy’s cage. This gives them something to lie next to when they feel they are too hot.

Caution: If you use fans make sure your ferret can’t get any part of his body near the rotating blades or best yet don’t use it unless they are in their cage. Ferrets are inquisitive creatures and will try to get anything that moves.

     It is a blast to watch ferrets play with ice cubes but either place them in a tub of water or take them away when they are small enough to swallow whole and cause a choking issue.

Not my boys but other ferrets enjoying ice cubes

      Not all ferrets like to swim but if the temperature has soared into the 90s dipping them in a bowl of luke warm to almost no warmth water will help them cool off.

    Don’t take them in the car if you don’t have to. Many ferrets travel in their carriers and many are made of plastic that doesn’t breathe so the heat of the car is doubled and it only takes a few moments of extreme heat to kill a ferret.

     Other dangers of summer include threat of heart worms  and fleas.

     There is a misconception that ferrets don’t get fleas. They do get fleas and it only takes a few to make a ferret anemic. Fleas can kill a ferret by feasting on them. Fleas can be prevented by using 1 drop of Kitten Advantage® once a month. I only re-drop if I have given my boys baths or they have been swimming a lot.

     Hot pavement or sidewalks can burn a ferret’s feet fast. If you must go outside for walks stick to grassy areas or wait until you can place your hand on the pavement or sidewalk without it heating up your hand.

     By thinking how you respond to the high temperatures and apply to your pet to help keep him/her safe and alive.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo

The Ferret and Heartworms

Warning: Graphic Pictures Ahead

     Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we think about the loved ones in our lives. This includes our fur children or in some cases feathered, or scaled.

     We want to think we are giving them all the love they need. This includes taking them to the vet for annual check ups or when they get sick or injured.

     We let ourselves think that only certain species get specific things, as only canines get heartworms. When the fact is that cats, ferrets, and in extremely rare cases humans can get this parasite.

     Just how does our beloved pet get this life-threatening infection? It starts with the bite of a mosquito. All this annoying little insect has to do is suck the blood of an infected animal taking several of the young heartworms known as microfilariae into its system where they become infective larvae usually within two weeks. It is these larvae that are passed into another animal by the mosquito taking another blood meal. This process takes approximately six months.

     The larvae travel through the host’s body for about three months some will mature into immature worms in the blood vessels of the lungs.

     Another three months will see this worms mature into their adult form where the will lodge themselves in the right side of the heart reducing its ability to pump blood effectively. This can lead to heart murmurs, fluid in the heart and lungs. 

     In five to seven months after the infection the adult worms mate and create new microfilariae that can cause the pet’s immune system to react which can cause damage to other organs and keeps the cycle continuing with another mosquito bite.

     Detecting heartworms in any pet can be done using a test called an IDEXX® snap test. This tests for several antigens (1) in the blood one of which is heartworms. It measures the protein on the skin of the adult female heartworm. If only male heartworms are present in the bloodstream, the test will show a false negative. Other tests that maybe included are x-rays, a complete blood count (CBC), and in some cases, an ultrasound of the heart.

     Dogs and cats may show signs of heartworms when they have 10 to 60 of them but it can take only one or two to kill a ferret. We, as pet owners, must be continuously learning about what can affect our small fur babies.

     Heartworms are under diagnosed in ferrets because not all vets are knowledgeable about ferrets or that they are susceptible to getting heartworms. The problem is not readily recognized because most ferrets that die are not necropsied (2)

     Prevention is the key to keeping our pets free of these parasites. While the options are limited, there are two. One is ProHeart® an injectable heartworm preventable that is given every six month.

     ProHeart® is marketed and approved as a preventive for dogs but the Minor Species Act of 2004(3) allows for the use in exotics. The other recommended preventative is Advantage Multi® the makers Bayer™ have tested it in ferrets and found it to be a safe and effective treatment.

     Before starting any treatment, it is wise to have your fur children tested for any evidence that they may have been infective and discuss a course of treatment with your vet.

Jo

(1) Antigens: enzymes, toxins, or other substances, usually high in molecule weight, to which the body reacts by producing antibodies.

(2) Necropsied: Having the animal’s dead body examined.

(3) Minor Species Act of 2004

For more information you can go to the American Heartworm Society

I would like to thank,

Dr. Cottrell from West End Animal Hospital, FL for the use of the heartworm pictures and answering my questions.

Janet Tobiassen, DVM http://vetmedicine.about.com

Vet Loving Pets HB, DMV http://www.acchb.com