Ferret fell, hit head. Can't lift head or stand. What should I do?

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Joey! It would be helpful to know more about what sort of trauma Joey experienced and what you’re observing with him now. Joey could have a minor concussion or headache that could resolve simply with rest and time. However, more severe head trauma can cause bleeding or swelling in the brain, which can be life threatening and must be promptly treated by a veterinarian to minimize damage. For this reason I strongly urge you to bring Joey in to the vet immediately, particularly if he is acting painful, confused, squinting or shutting his eyes, stumbling, or showing any other alarming symptoms. I hope this helps and I hope he’s alright!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I can understand how that could be scary for you! If he seems to be more lethargic/sleepier than usual, or seems to limp on any of his legs, I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian. As long as Kai is still acting normally (eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normally), not showing any signs of pain, and moving around as usual, I would not be concerned. I hope this is helpful!

It would be practically impossible to leak csf through the nose from such an injury and unless the impact actually killed him instantly. I would recommend a vet check and antiinflammatory medications especially if his balance, swallowing or jaws are affected

Thanks for reaching out about Rosy. She should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as something like a concussion will respond better if addressed earlier. See your veterinarian now. Good luck.

I'm concerned that there are a couple of problems here. Baby may have gotten a spinal cord injury causing her to not walk and she may have a collapsed lung that is causing her to have trouble breathing - this would explain why she keeps sticking her tongue out. The shivering indicates that she is very painful. These problems are all considered an emergency, so I recommend you take Baby to a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will be able to better assess her problems and advise on treatment options. I hope that helps and baby gets better soon.

A ferret that tires out quickly is concerning of an insulinoma, which is a common type of tumor that ferrets get that can cause low blood sugar. This can be easily diagnosed by a veterinarian and there are some treatment options. You can also test this at home by giving her a little karo syrup, or honey and seeing if that increases her energy. If it does, then it's likely to be an insulinoma and you should take her to the vet as soon as possible. Another possible cause is an obstruction in the intestine. Ferrets are well known to eat things that they shouldn't, which can get stuck in the intestines and cause them to feel very down like this. This is also something that needs veterinary treatment, so it's best to take Panda to a vet that treats ferrets within the next 24 hours. I hope that helps and Panda gets better soon.

Thanks for reaching out about Chip. A limp can range from soft tissue trauma (a bruise), ligament damage to a dislocation or fracture. A veterinary visit is recommended for diagnosis, as corrections are more successful early in the process. At the minimal, pain medication might decrease healing time. Good luck.