why is my ferret dragging his back legs

Some of the most common causes include:

• Central nervous system disorders
• Bacterial or fungal infections
• Metabolic disease
• Heart disease
• Canine distemper virus
• Abdominal tumors
• Neurological disease
• Hypoglycemia
• Anemia
• Traumatic injuries

More items...

Full Answer

Why is my Ferret dragging his rear end around?

“Your ferret is telling the world ‘I was here!’ As he drags his rear end, he leaves olfactory cues that tell other ferrets he is claiming this area as his.”

Why does my ferret have weak legs?

Weakness of any origin is manifested in ferrets as weak legs and a desire not to walk. Causes might include Insulinoma,gastric foreign body (rubber objects and hair balls are common), gastric ulcers, etc.

Why does my Ferret keep backing up to Pee?

But if his tail looks normal, your ferret is probably just backing up to urinate or defecate. “In the wild, if a ferret were to go potty in the open they know they would be lunch to any flying prey bird,” Spirito said.

Why does my Ferret hiss at me?

Ferrets hiss when they’re mad or scared. “The ferret is really just trying to tell others that if you start messing with me ‘I’m going to bite you and make you regret it,’” Dutton said. He advises you not pick up a hissing ferret, because you may get bitten. However, if you must, wear gloves. 5. Why does my ferret hoard small objects?

Why is my ferret dragging its back legs?

If you notice your ferret having trouble standing on his back legs or dragging his legs as he walks, this indicates he is experiencing hind leg weakness. This condition can also be accompanied by loss of control over urination and defecation.

What causes hind leg weakness in ferrets?

Actually, the most frequent cause of hindlimb weakness is an insulinoma, but many other (debilitating) differentials should be considered. It should also be noted that lameness caused by orthopaedic problems can mimic weakness in the hindlegs, and distinction between the two is thus very important.

How do you know when a ferret is dying?

When death is rapidly approaching, you may find your ferret collapsed, taking deep breaths. Their body temperature will drop to 97 degrees or less. If they are moaning or wheezing with each breath, they are near to death.

What causes posterior paresis in ferrets?

Causes. Metabolic disease is the most common cause of posterior paresis (or paraparesis). Other possible causes include cardiac disease, infectious disease such as rabies, traumatic injury, anemia (often associated with blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract, or leukemia), and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Is my ferret paralyzed?

Ferrets that are paralysed or recumbent are unable to move away from urine and faeces, often leading to urine or faecal build up around their back legs, tail and back end.

Why is my ferret shivering and can't walk?

Many ferrets experiencing either short-term hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or long term hypoglycemia will show weakness in the hind legs. This may, or may not, be accompanied by other signs of insulinoma, such as seizures, weight loss and general lethargy.

What are the symptoms of a sick ferret?

Signs of Sickness in FerretsLack Of Appetite. It's almost never a good sign when an animal isn't interested in food. ... Difficulty Breathing. Watch for any sort of respiratory distress, such as gasping, coughing, wheezing, and repetitive sneezing. ... Behavioral Changes. ... Weight Loss. ... Fur Changes. ... Vomiting. ... Lethargy. ... Waste.More items...•

How do you tell if a ferret has a blockage?

Gastric (stomach) or intestinal obstructions are more often caused by hairballs or, rarely, by tumors in older ferrets. The key features of a gastrointestinal foreign body are severe lethargy (lack of energy), anorexia (reduced appetite) with or without vomiting, and a reduced volume of feces.

What's the average lifespan of a ferret?

5 – 10 yearsFerret / Lifespan

What is posterior paresis?

: progressive weakness and loss of function accompanied by modification of joints and bones of the hindquarters of young pigs receiving inadequate vitamin D and calcium.

What is ferret ataxia?

Ataxia in Ferrets. Ataxia is a condition relating to sensory dysfunction, which mainly affects the neurological and motor systems, particularly movements of the limbs, head, and neck among ferrets.

What Causes Hind Limb Weakness In Ferrets?

Dragging the hind leg is a sign of many, many systemic illnesses. Many of these have no direct or obvious effect on the hind legs. Leg weakness in ferrets is a general sign of illness, and very rarely tells you what is actually wrong.

Diagnosis of Hind Leg Problems

If your ferret is not walking well on his or her back legs, see an experienced ferret vet straight away. Here’s how the vet will get the answer:

Treatment of Leg Weakness, Ataxia or Paresis

As you can imagine, identifying the cause allows us to choose the right treatment. All of the diseases listed above (except cancer) have good treatment options available.

What Is Hind Limb Weakness or Weak Hind Legs In Ferrets?

People often think these both are different terms for the same problem, but they are not. Note that this can only be accurately diagnosed by a professional vet.

Diagnosis of Back Leg Weakness In Ferrets

If you see any signs of back leg weakness in your ferret, take him to the vet as soon as possible. Since it is necessary to diagnose the problem and treat it before it becomes deadly.

Can My Ferret Recover From Back Leg Weakness?

Only a good vet can answer this question after performing some tests, so you will have to take your pet to one near you.

Why do ferrets die?

The cause of this truism is not clear, but unlike most animals that die of organ failure (liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, etc.), ferrets die of a variety of unusual forms of cancer. Insulinoma is reported to be the second most common cancer of ferrets, second only to adrenal cancer.

Why does my ferret have nausea?

Nausea and or oral pain may cause the signs you are seeing. The most common cause of nausea in a 4 year old ferret is insulinoma. The most common cause of oral pain is dental problems and oral cancer. Please get your little guy into a veterinarian as soon as possible to give her the best chance to get better.

What is the most common disease in ferrets?

Insulinoma . One of the most common and most devastating of ferret diseases is cancer of the insulin-producing cells called an insulinoma . Other names for this tumor are beta-cell carcinoma or pancreatic endocrine carcinoma. This cancer occurs when the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin (beta-cells) grow out of control.

How long does it take for a ferret to recover from insulinoma?

In the author’s practice, ferrets undergoing surgery for insulinoma spend two to three days in the hospital.

What is the name of the cancer in ferrets?

Other names for this tumor are beta-cell carcinoma or pancreatic endocrine carcinoma. This cancer occurs when the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin (beta-cells) grow out of control. The disease in the ferret ... Read more.

When is ferret surgery performed?

The surgery is performed on the first day. The ferret is prepared for surgery early in the day. An catheter is placed in a vein in the front leg and the ferret is started on a constant infusion of fluids including glucose (sugar). This reduces the risks of anesthesia and surgery in these patients.

Can ferrets make insulin?

These drugs are highly toxic to insulin producing cells and have been used in medical research to produce diabetic animal models (animals that can not make insulin).

Why does my ferret freak out?

Your ferret doesn’t seem to be breathing and you freak out because you think he is dead. Then your ferret suddenly “comes alive” and starts clawing at you.

What does it mean when a ferret jumps off the wall?

Your ferret is doing what is referred to as the “dance for joy.”

What is the difference between a ferret and a war dance?

However, the difference is that his tail is poofed-out, his coat is bristled and he’s hissing.

What does it mean when a ferret poofs out its tail?

If your ferret feels threatened or frightened, “He might poof-out his tail, literally making all the fur stand on end ,” Dutton said. “This is the ferret’s way of trying to appear larger and more intimidating, and try to ward off predators.”

What do ferrets do with their paws?

They may cart these items with their paws and in their teeth, and even push and scoot their booty with their front paws.

Is it normal for a ferret to be crazy?

From a ferret’s point of view, the behaviors are perfectly normal.”. The only time an “odd” behavior might be something abnormal is if it’s a sudden change in behavior, which might indicate illness, Burgess says. As a ferret owner, it’s helpful to know what some of these “crazy but normal” behaviors are.

Can you hold a ferret dead sleep?

This known as “ferret dead sleep.”. “You can hold him, poke him, yell at him, and the ferret still won’t wake up,” said Mike Dutton, DVM, an exotics veterinarian in Weare, New Hampshire. “The ferret’s just in a very, very deep sleep.

Why is my ferret weak?

Another important distinction is whether the ferret is weak because of discomfort. Pain in the caudal part of the abdomen (the back part of the belly, near the hind legs) can result in what appears to be hind-end weakness.

What is the term for ferrets with weakness?

One of the first differentiations that must be made is whether the ferret is experiencing “posterior paresis ” (rear leg weakness) or “ataxia” (wobbliness due to neurologic disease). Sometimes, a veterinarian is able to do this simply on a physical examination, performing what is called a “neurologic examination.”.

How to tell if ferrets have ADV?

There is only one way to know if your ferrets are infected with ADV, with a specific blood test. Every ferret that you own should be tested, before they show signs of disease.

What does it mean when a vet has hind end weakness?

Sometimes a very vague and non-specific sign — such as hind-end weakness — is an indication that a much larger process is at work. Veterinarians sometimes need a fairly extensive database to be able to assess that process in its entirety, and treat the condition as completely as possible.

Why do my hind legs feel weak?

Conditions affecting the heart, resulting in inadequate blood flow to the hind legs, can also result in weakness. Even something as simple as not eating well for a period of time can result in a weakness of the hind legs.

Do ferrets have ADV?

Remember, normal-appearing ferrets are not ADV free until they have a blood test proving their lack of infection. Because there is some variability in tests and test methodologies, some owners even elect to have their animals retested on an annual basis. You simply can’t be too careful.

Can ferrets carry ADV?

One other crucial factor to consider is Aleutian disease virus (ADV), a not-uncommon viral disease in the ferret population. Many infected ferrets can carry the virus for long periods of time — even years — without showing any signs of it.