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My ferret's leg is swollen, infected, and he's losing fur. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Other | Unknown - Other | Male | neutered | 4 lbs

My ferret has a huge spot on his back where he lost a lot of fur. Also, he hasn't been walking on one of his back legs. Now it's swollen, and his foot looks infected.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on September 26th, 2017

It sounds like the biggest concern is Binker's foot. A swollen infected foot can lead to a body wide infection, or sepsis. I would not wait on this, but would encourage you to have him seen by a veterinarian quickly. It is possible it is swollen from trauma rather than infection. Your veterinarian may want to perform some x-rays. Once a diagnosis has been established then they may consider using antibiotics and /or pain medication that is safe for ferrets. The spot on his back can be evaluated at the same time and determine if any treatment is needed for the skin. I hope Binker improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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