Common Conditions in Ferrets

Client education from Adler Veterinary Hospital, Southwest Florida. These summaries are for general information and don't replace an exam.

Adrenal Disease

Adrenal disease is one of the most common illnesses of pet ferrets in North America, usually in ferrets over three.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart disease in which the heart muscle weakens and the heart enlarges.

An insulinoma is a tumor of the pancreas that produces too much insulin, causing low blood sugar.

Canine distemper is a virus that is almost always fatal in ferrets.

Many ferrets carry the stomach bacterium Helicobacter mustelae.

Lymphoma is the most common cancer in ferrets, affecting the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and other organs.

ECE is a contagious intestinal infection caused by a ferret coronavirus.

Ferrets can catch human influenza viruses, and they can pass them back.

Ferrets love to chew rubber, foam, and soft plastic, and pieces can block the stomach or intestines.