My ferret has a tumor, diabetes, and walks wobbly. What's the outlook?

Sorry to hear this! I know how sad it is to see these guys lose their vigor. Ferrets can get a few different tumors, so it really depends on the type of tumor and many other factors relating to his current condition. I wish I could help give a good answer about Joey's prognosis, but it's not possible without examining him, discussing his condition with you and reviewing medical records. For this, you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Boop by Petco. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. Seven years is old for a ferret and if he is not playing anymore, then it likely means that he is very ill. Whether his condition is treatable/reversible is not possible for me to know without having more information. My best recommendation is for you to have a consultation with your vet in order to get a better idea of his prognosis and treatment options. I hope that helps and Joey feels better soon.

I'm sorry to hear about Scratchy not feeling well. I think your best step is to have him examined by your vet in person first to confirm what the mass is, and then go from there. Your vet can help you determine if it would be OK for him to undergo surgery (via general exam, bloodwork, health history, etc), or if supportive care is a better option.

I am sorry to hear that Ender isn’t doing well. I would encourage you to start calling veterinarians in your area to see who treats exotics. It is possible that you may have to travel some. From what you describe I am worried about something called an insulinoma. This a small tumor on the pancreas that produces too much insulin. The insulin drives the glucose too low and they act just like a diabetic with low glucose would act. These tumors are very common in ferrets. Surgical removal or medical treatment with medications to increase glucose levels can be somewhat helpful. Best of luck, and I hope you find a veterinarian who can help you soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Gannan! It would be great if at a bare minimum you could get some pain medication on board for him. Hopefully your vet will dispense an anti-inflammatory or opiate pain medication to you so that you can treat his pain during this tough time. There are very inexpensive options out there for pain meds and this is what I suggest to people who don't have a lot of money to spend or who don't believe in euthanasia.

If Nibbles was being treated with the antibiotics for diarrhea and the diarrhea has not improved or resolved, it could be that he needs a different antibiotic. I would recommend contacting the veterinarian who prescribed the antibiotics to let them know about the lack of improvement, and they may recommend switching the antibiotics. Additionally, they may recommend collecting a sample of the feces to evaluate it under the microscope, and potentially culturing a sample to see what bacteria grows. I hope that helps to answer your question, and thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. I would not use anti-itch cream. It is not harmful I just don't think it is the best thing to use. Using something like this wound gel would be better. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-animal-wound-and-skin-care-hydrogel ) When you look for a vet definitely get one that is used to treating ferrets. Also be sure you have him on a premium diet like Marshall's or Mazuri. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/basic-ferret-feeding-nutrition/ ) ( http://www.mazuri.com/mazuriferretdiet-1.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If pebbles truly does have adrenal disease their are two options. The first is surgical removal of the adrenal gland. This surgery is successful and can be done by a general practioner too. The second is an implant that is placed between the shoulder blades like a microchip. This implant can last for years and has very few side effects. Typically we do not run lots of testing for adrenal disease in ferrets we just diagnosis it off the clinical signs. It might be you need to find a new vet who is more comfortable with the treatment of adrenal disease in ferrets.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Willy and including a photo. Age is middle age and not considered old. Just because he did not respond to Karo syrup does not mean he doesn't have an insulinoma. But other conditions possible. A veterinary visit is recommended, but probably sooner than late next week. Monitor appetite and body score if you can. Good luck.

It's really hard to tell how much time he may left. The vet that diagnosed the cancer may have a better idea based on the location and potential metastasis during their examination and testing. Any type of oral cancer can be very painful. There are several pain medication options that can help, and I would recommend discussing all of the options wit your vet. You could also look for a hospice vet in your area that will see ferrets. Quality of life is unique to each pet and owner, so there won't be an easy way for me to tell you when it is "time." This article is made for dogs, but many of the concepts will apply: http://www.lapoflove.com/diseases/canine/Oral_Tumors_in_Dogs.pdf