The most commonly affected organs are the spleen, liver, and, lymph nodes of the chest and extremities. Clinical signs are dependent upon the organs affected. Signs include weight loss, enlarged spleen, lethargy, difficulty breathing, enlarged lymphnodes, and skin tumors. Ferrets have dramatic seasonal changes in the hair coat length, thickness, and color triggered by photoperiod changes. Coats generally get shorter and darker in the summer months and longer , thicker, and lighter in the winter.
Abscesses usually occur as the result of a puncture wound or bite wound.
Ulcerative pyoderma is the second most commonly encountered form of bacterial dermatitis of the ferret. Signs include a localized hair loss with a thickened ulcerated skin lesion. We recommend a skin biopsy and treatment with antibiotics. Ferrets are prone to fleas. Use only a cat flea shampoo or Front-line as directed by your veterinarian.