Ferret illness and Disease
Ferret illness and disease is something that you need to be aware of. Ear mites, for instance, can cause a serious health problem in your ferret. Be sure to clean your ferret ears often (be gentle) and look out for ear mites. The normal color for ear wax, by the way, is golden brown or reddish brown. If you discover that your ferret's ear wax resembles coffee grounds, then he probably has ear mites.
These are microscopic parasites that may not only spread to other ferrets, but can also infect your cat or dog before you can get them under control. The mites cause your poor ferret to be very uncomfortable, to say the least and at its worst leads to even more serious health problems. Any ferret you bring home from anywhere -- even a private breeder, pet stores and shelters, can have ear mites.
While many times, the newest ferret into the home is the culprit of these creatures. When you bring your new ferret home, you should double check to make sure she is mite free.
In addition to ear wax the color of coffee grounds, your ferret may have ear mites if she is scratching at her ears excessively. You may also suspect this tiny creature is causing problems if she is shaking her head a lot or has more ear discharge than is normal. If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Your vet has several options to help get rid of the parasites. First, he may prescribe ear drops for your furry friend.
Have more than one fuzzy? You guessed it, you'll have to treat all of them. And if you have a dog or a cat, your vet will most certainly have you treat these guys at the same time. While you're doing this, you won't be happy. Not be a long shot. (And yes, I can tell you this from firsthand experience, thank you!)
And treating these creatures is hardly a one shot deal. You'll discover that you'll be treating this "outbreak" or potential outbreak for the better part of a week. Don't even think about skimping on this either. If you don't do this properly and use the medicine completely, the ear-mite problem is destined to return. It's better to just do it right the first time and have all the pets in the household taken care of.
If you don't treat your ferret's ear mites, your poor little guy may end up with an inner ear infection (and that is more difficult to treat)!
This infection can be painful in and of itself. But this health condition may also lead to an even more serious problem. And that's possible neurological problems. What does that mean? Possible hearing loss. And certainly no one wants that to happen.
Interestingly, some ferret owners have also reported that following a simple treatment for the ear mites, their ferrets' personalities have improved 100 percent. Where once they were cranky and temperamental, their pets are now much easier to get along with and much more loving!