My ferret's belly is moving while sleeping. Is it gas or worms?

Swollen belly in ferrets can be caused by various condition although one of the most common is a heart disease ferrets tend to suffer from. i strongly recommend taking him to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked and treated.

Firmness under the left rib cage could be due to more serious problems like bloat, an enlarged liver/spleen, or an abdominal mass, but if Slinky is now eating/drinking normally and pooping normally (normal consistency and frequency), I would just continue with the ferretlax for 3 more days and perhaps offer Oxbox critical care slurry for added hydration. If tomorrow and the next day the abdomen still feels firm on palpation, it would be safest to schedule an exam +/- ultrasound or abdominal radiograph with your local exotics veterinarian. Ferrets are prone to developing insulinomas and adrenal tumors that usually are not noticeable on palpation but if the firmness persists, it would be best to rule out some of these more serious conditions. Good luck!

It could be that Mighty is suffering from intestinal worms which are common in puppies and would give a bloated appearance to the stomach. I would give him a deworming treatment now, and another in two weeks to kill all the worms. He should then be dewormed monthly until he is six months of age, and should be dewormed every three months thereafter. As for breathing quickly when trying to sleep, this can be normal and I wouldn't be concerned about it unless he's breathing quickly all the time. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It is likely normal digestion. However, if he has not been dewormed yet, then I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian so they can begin vaccinations and deworming. Also, if there is any vomiting, diarrhea, or inappetance then he should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi, I don't know your ferret's age but there are different illnesses that he could be suffering from. Younger ferrets can have GI signs if you see any vomiting or diarrhea or not wanting to eat. There is also a disease relating to the pancreas where they get low blood sugar despite eating, and that can make them tired. They also may have seizures, so be on the lookout for abnormal activity. i would take him to the vet for some blood work and maybe an x ray to see what is going on. There is nothing I can tell you to do from home for illnesses in a ferret. Good luck, i hope he gets better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to conditions such as pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal foreign body ingestion and obstruction, among other possibilities. I suggest other diagnostics are performed at this point such as abdominal ultrasound and labwork. It is crucial to find out exactly what is going on so that therapy can be used based on the specific condition. In the meantime, they may be able to prescribe anti-nausea medications as that may be why she is not eating well. Best of luck!

I would recommend taking Toby to another veterinarian if you are not comfortable with your veterinarian's diagnosis and treatment. If the stuff that is stuck to his anus looks like little bits of rice it could be tapeworms. Only certain dewormers will help with these worms. So it depends on what dewormer was given to say if it worked or not. Also tapeworms are caused by them eating fleas at some point. I would talk with friends and neighbors to see what veterinarians in your area people recommend. I hope Toby feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!