My new ferret seems skinny. Is she underweight and what should I do?

He should be examined by your veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for his weight loss. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Feed a good quality ferret diet (not cat food, dog food, etc). Feed him frequently until he is at an appropriate weight, then cut back if necessary.

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.

Zoii is beautiful! It is hard to tell exactly in the picture since she is fluffy, but she doesn't look underweight to me. There are a couple of easy ways to make sure she is at her ideal weight. One is that you should be able to run your fingers across her ribs and feel them without pushing in at all. If you can see them, she is too thin. When you look down on her from above when she is standing, she should have a little indent at her waist. Cats will also normally have a small fat pad at the back part of their bellies (between the back legs). These are all things to watch for so you know you are keeping her at a healthy weight. I hope this helps!

It is hard to say what exactly is going on with Taco. If he has been confined with poor husbandry most of his life he may have some decreased muscle mass and generalized weakness. You can try bathing him with a gentle shampoo made for ferrets or cats. The best thing you can do is have Taco checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible and make sure you are feeding him a well balanced diet. Make sure he has something comfortable and easy to walk on. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. It is difficult to say if her weight is appropriate without seeing her. It is best for her to see her veterinarian to have her weighed and a body condition score determined. From there, recommendations can be made regarding her weight. Ideally, the spine should be able to be felt, but should not be prominent. I hope this information helps!

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.

It could be stress related to the new home, but given her age, she should be examined by your veterinarian tonight. A young ferret can quickly become dehydrated which may complicate any underlying condition(s). Discontinue solid food for now and offer just a tablespoon or two of water or unflavored PediaLyte every hour until Josie sees the doctor.