Why is my ferret's legs not moving, shivering, and tongue out?

I am so sorry to hear that Lola isn't doing well. There are many different things that can cause lethargy in ferrets. However, what you describe makes me concerned that this isn't lethargy or weakness, but possibly something more concerning such as trauma. The bloody urine makes me very concerned that there may have been trauma that you didn't witness. I am worried that she may have injured her spinal cord and that could be why her hind legs aren't working. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. In the mean time make sure to keep her well hydrated. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am sorry to hear about Penny. She may have injured her back while climbing in/out of the litter box. Intervertebral disc disease is something that older ferrets can get. Sometimes, they can slip a disc in their spine and it can cause severe pain and discomfort. She may have slipped a disc when exiting the litter box. Ferrets can get arthritis in their spine as well. At her age, it is likely she does have some arthritis but because of the sudden onset of symptoms you described when she come out of the litter box, it makes me think she may have intervertebral disc disease. Anti-inflammatory medication can help keep her comfortable. You should talk to your vet for some or try going to see another veterinarian if your vet doesn't want to help Penny. Ferret's can also get adrenal disease that can cause a variety of symptoms. I will attach a link about adrenal disease in ferrets so that you can see if Penny has any of the symptoms. Hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=1983

I agree it is difficult to pinpoint what is the problem with Fera. I wonder if she had any episodes of vomiting or weight loss, or has she been sneezing at all ? Any changes in her appetite ? Has she had any blood tests done ? If you can I would recommend to chose to go for further investigations, as the symptoms are quite vague but at the same time we don’t want Fera to become too poorly ! In order to answer your question, a consultation with one of our exotics vet might be your second option, providing as many details as possible would help formulating a differential list of conditions.

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!

Hello. We do see several conditions & diseases in ferrets as they age, so it would be best to have Busta evaluated by your veterinarian. I do not think not having access to water for 12 hours caused any problems, it may just be coincidental that he feel ill after this. Do have him seen as soon as you can in case he does need some further testing or treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

I would definitely keep her in complete isolation from others until you can arrange an emergency appointment for her. Given the shivering and vomiting I would not wait until Monday as she may be seriously dehydrated