My ferret's leg drags, he's losing weight. What should I do?

I'm sorry that Oscar and his companion are not feeling well! Weakness in ferrets can be caused by low blood sugar, which can be a result of an insulinoma, a very common pancreatic tumor in ferrets which secretes insulin and causes low blood sugar. This requires a veterinary exam, bloodwork, and other diagnostics to diagnose. In the meantime, I recommend offering both ferrets a high protein/high fat small meal every several hours to keep their blood sugar levels normal. This can be their normal diet or canned cat food. I hope all is well!

Thanks for reaching out about Huransini. Ferrets are very prone to several diseases as they age: insulinomas (resulting in low blood sugar), adrenal disease, heart disease, and others. A veterinary visit is recommended for assistance in diagnostic and treatment plans. Good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm so sorry to hear about Clarence. Some further tests can help make a diagnosis and determine if a treatment other than surgery is possible. Tests would include an ultrasound of his belly, this would show if there are any masses that were not seen on the x-rays or enlargement of any organs. His feces can also be submitted to a lab to see if he has any parasites. Because Clarence is losing weight and is unable to control his bowels, it sounds like you may have some difficult decisions to make regarding his future and care. I'm sorry that Clarence is not doing well and wish you luck with his care!

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 Pepper and including photos. With the hair loss on the tail "rat tail", this is highly suspicious of an adrenal disease. A veterinary visit is recommended as soon as possible to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. These endocrine problems are very common in ferrets and only start as hair loss, but other internal changes are likely occurring. Treatments are possible. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear that Ender isn’t doing well. I would encourage you to start calling veterinarians in your area to see who treats exotics. It is possible that you may have to travel some. From what you describe I am worried about something called an insulinoma. This a small tumor on the pancreas that produces too much insulin. The insulin drives the glucose too low and they act just like a diabetic with low glucose would act. These tumors are very common in ferrets. Surgical removal or medical treatment with medications to increase glucose levels can be somewhat helpful. Best of luck, and I hope you find a veterinarian who can help you soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for reaching out about Willy and including a photo. Age is middle age and not considered old. Just because he did not respond to Karo syrup does not mean he doesn't have an insulinoma. But other conditions possible. A veterinary visit is recommended, but probably sooner than late next week. Monitor appetite and body score if you can. Good luck.