My ferret is pawing at its mouth and has diarrhea. Is it serious?

Thanks for reaching out and including a photo. This appears to be a common clinical sign of a viral diarrhea common viral enteritis (ECE). It is often complicated with secondary bacterial infections. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Antibiotics and fluids (if dehydrated) are the minimum, but if severe might necessitate hospitalization with an IV catheter. This is contagious to other ferrets. Good luck.

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.

It can be the wet food but it could also be other things. It sounds as Fierros is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking him to the vet the first chance you get, he will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection he will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better.

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!

Rub a small amount of Karo syrup on his gums. If he perks up, offer a meal and then have him examined by your veterinarian. He may be having hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episodes that could lead to behavioral issues. Most general practice vets should be able to examine and treat Hades.

I am sorry honey nut is not feeling well. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian tomorrow. Ferrets can get severe gastric upset but also viruses that can cause diarrhea. Honey nut might need some basic bloodwork or even x-rays to determine the cause of honey nuts illness. Continue with the hydration until tomorrow.

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.