Is my 3.5-year-old ferret weak and slow due to age or illness?

Hello! Willy is quite adorable in those pictures! A ferrets spleen is on the left side of the abdomen. However it may be challenging to feel in a wiggly ferret by yourself. You also want to be very careful when feeling organs in any animals abdomen, as the organs can be damaged or traumatized if handled too roughly. If you are worried that Willy has been a bit lethargic lately, the best thing would be to have a complete physical exam and possibly some testing done by a veterinarian experienced with ferrets. At his age, he could certainly have many different things going on, and only a few might cause a change in the size or shape of the spleen. That’s why a head to toe exam would be the best thing! I hope that helped answer your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

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.

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'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!

Hi, I don't know your ferret's age but there are different illnesses that he could be suffering from. Younger ferrets can have GI signs if you see any vomiting or diarrhea or not wanting to eat. There is also a disease relating to the pancreas where they get low blood sugar despite eating, and that can make them tired. They also may have seizures, so be on the lookout for abnormal activity. i would take him to the vet for some blood work and maybe an x ray to see what is going on. There is nothing I can tell you to do from home for illnesses in a ferret. Good luck, i hope he gets better soon!

This can be very serious. I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam. This is not likely an injured leg (although possible). This sounds more like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) from an insulin tumor (insulinoma) or an adrenal tumor however, there are some other possibilities too. You can't know what to do for him until you find out why he has these symptoms. He needs a vet exam. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951368 I don't know if these clinics will treat ferrets but you can call them and find out: https://www.ashevillehumane.org/resources/vet-care-assistance https://opendoorveterinarycare.com/services/