We are going to the vet to see if Yoda is a healthy little ferret. It is important for you to choose a veterinarian who knows how to deal with ferrets. The vet has to know their most common problems and how to properly treat their illnesses. I have one vet near my home who is really good and another very good vet for ferrets is 20 minutes drive from home. That is really great, both of my vets are near. I hope I won’t be needing them (only for regular checkups and immunization shots).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ferrets And Vaccination
There are two shots your ferret needs: canine distemper shot and rabies shot
Canine distemper is far more important than rabies because that illness is fatal to ferrets and it could lead to a very painful death. This disease can transfer from one animal to another or from smelling another animal’s urine or poop. Your ferret can also be infected through the bottom of your shoes, it can happen without your knowledge. If your ferret has distemper he’ll become lethargic and anorexic and he’ll develop a thick discharge from the nose and eyes. His paws will be swollen and his lips, eyes, nose, and anus will become crusty. That is the early stage. In the late stage ferret’s brain is under the influence and he’ll become too aggressive with potential seizures, coma, and death. To avoid that every ferret needs to be vaccinated 3 times when he’s a baby and repeat that once every year. If you have a rescue ferret and you don’t know if he’s been vaccinated, you should vaccinate him 2 times, with 3 weeks break, and after that repeat once every year.
Rabies, on the other hand, isn’t that extreme, but if you can, vaccinate your ferret anyway. Rabies, like with dogs and cats, is transferred by an infected animal’s bite (with saliva). Some ferret owners think that is an unnecessary vaccination for their ferrets because they never take them outside. That is true, as long as your ferret won’t escape. Some state laws require dogs, cats, and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies and that is different from country to country.
Get To Know Your Vet
The vet is there to help you and to guide you so if you have any questions ask them they will respond to you without any problem. (I know I’ve asked them tons of questions) Through that talk, you can get to know your veterinarian and how good is he with other animals, not just ferrets. It is priceless to have a good veterinarian by your side.
That’s why we are heading to the vet! I’ve put Yoda in the transporter and off we go! He is small so he poops every couple of hours and of course, he did it in the transporter. I put a diaper inside but he removed it and did his business on the blanket because he can. We had to stop in front of the vet to clean everything. Luckily he did it in the transporter and not at the vets.
The appointment went pretty well I am proud to say I have a healthy little ferret in my family! The vet checked his lungs and heart and they were both strong and without any defect. He also commented on his beautiful fur, it’s still baby’s fluffy fur which makes it even more adorable. The ears are good, the nose looks healthy and eyes are bright. Fleas are the only thing that has to be treated and we got effective flea treatment for that. He is in excellent shape, with only 500 grams.
The vet also recommended cleaning his cage, transporter, and the room he is in because there is a possibility for some flea eggs infestation (it is a small chance, but why risk it). Anyway, we bought some cleaning supplies and let the party begin! While he was awake I cleaned his cage and transporter, other when he’s asleep. I know that fleas can be stubborn bastards but we will get rid of them all!
More Than One Ferret?
We talked about the socialization of Yoda and Frida. Since my little Yoda (I love the sound of that) was indifferent surrounding the vet told me to monitor him because his immune system could be weaker for a short period. If there would be any change in his eyes or he gets a runny nose or for example, if he starts to cough, sneeze, or anything else, he told me to bring Yoda. Until now (knock on wood) everything is perfect. Since Frida is here and he is from another city he told me to wait until immunization shots for their socialization (I was aware of that, but always check twice!)
Now let’s talk about Frida and Yoda’s socialization. I can introduce them in about a day and I am not sure what to expect. Frida was on a few playdates a couple of years ago and she was polite until someone challenged her, then she was really feisty. Yoda was in the cage with other ferrets when I came to pick him up, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be great with Frida. I am really curious about how it will happen. Fingers crossed it will be great!
I will show you every step of their socialization and how can someone make it better for their ferrets to introduce another ferret to the family. Some of those methods I will try myself!
