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The most cheerful, friendly and quite funny pet is the ferret. Quite often, the wayward animal is exposed to colds, as a result of which the ferret sneezes heavily and coughs. Since the upper respiratory tract is most often affected by the disease, the pet owner should know what measures to take and how to recognize the disease in the early stages. It is very difficult for cubs to endure diseases, since their bodies are not yet strong enough and their immune system is weakened.
Why does a ferret sneeze or cough?
There are a large number of reasons why a ferret begins to sneeze and cough. This may include:
- bronchitis;
- colds;
- runny nose;
- cardiomyopathy;
- food allergic reaction;
- presence of dust in the room;
- parasites.
In addition, it is worth taking into account the fact that the first signs of the disease in ferrets are in many ways similar to human cold symptoms:
- If the ferret begins to sneeze, this indicates the presence of an infection in the upper respiratory tract. As practice shows, the duration of an attack with sneezing can last up to 2-3 minutes, as a result of which the animal is very exhausted;
- in most cases the cough is dry and hard.Coughing, like sneezing, can be accompanied by severe attacks;
- in some cases, you can observe the presence of a runny nose and increased body temperature. In a healthy state, a ferret's temperature can vary from +37.5 to +39°C. In addition, diarrhea may occur.
During illness, the ferret's activity decreases, the animal becomes lethargic, and does not show initiative as before. The condition becomes feverish, appetite disappears.
Bronchitis, cold, runny nose
If your ferret regularly coughs and sneezes, this may be caused by a cold. As a rule, this is a dry cough, which is replaced by a wet one, as a result of which mucus begins to come out of the nose. In such situations, you must immediately contact a veterinary clinic or begin self-treatment of your pet.
To prevent cough and the development of the disease, it is recommended to use Fosprenil and Maksidin; the drugs must be administered intramuscularly. Since the animals are small in size, it is worth taking insulin syringes, so the pain caused will be minor.
These drugs must be administered 3 times daily, using 0.2 ml of the drug. The course of treatment lasts a week. After the pet is back on its feet, many veterinary experts recommend administering 0.1 ml of Gamavit for 30 days. This medicine helps strengthen the ferret's immune system.
If the disease is neglected, it can develop into bronchitis.As a rule, bronchitis most often appears in old ferrets and animals that have problems with internal organs, for example, a weakened heart or lungs. As practice shows, you cannot cure bronchitis at home on your own, as a result of which it is recommended to immediately take your pet to a veterinary clinic.
With a runny nose, the animal begins to sneeze, as the lungs try to push out the bacteria that enter them from the nasal cavity. With an advanced form of a runny nose, the ferret begins to cough, as mucus enters the nasopharynx, as a result of which the animal tries to get rid of the mucus with a strong cough. There may be several causes of the disease: infection in the nasal sinus, the presence of inflammatory processes due to a draft.
As soon as it is noticed that the ferret is breathing heavily, constantly sneezing and coughing, while mucus is secreted from the nose, it is necessary to rinse the nose, having first cleared it. For such purposes, use “Nazivin” or “Naphthyzin” - 0.05% solution. You will need to pour about 0.1 ml of the drug into each nostril.
In addition, if necessary, you can prepare your own solution for rinsing the nose. To do this, you will need to take the following drugs - “Dioxidin”, “Albucid” and “Dexamethasone”, and then mix them in a ratio of 10: 1: 1 ml. It is recommended to administer this solution 2 times daily, using 0.1 ml of the drug per nostril.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is also called cardiac cough. As a rule, a cough provokes a weakening of the heart muscles. Gradually, the muscle walls become thin, as a result of which the ferret’s body becomes weakened and the pressure decreases.Since blood circulation is quite slow, oxygen does not have time to be absorbed into the walls of the lungs and begins to condense. It is the accumulation of condensation that causes severe coughing.
Symptoms of the disease include the following:
- decreased animal activity;
- severe cough on a regular basis;
- elevated body temperature.
It is important to understand that these symptoms are not enough to diagnose the disease at home, as a result of which it is recommended to take your pet to a veterinary clinic for examination.
Cardiomyopathy can be treated as follows:
- First of all, the ferret is given a diuretic, which will allow the body to get rid of excess moisture. In this case, it is best to use Furosemide.
- After 24 hours, it is recommended to administer Captopril, which will dilate the blood vessels. Many experts recommend using the drug in tablets.
- After 2 days, you need to switch your pet to medicated food.
- Throughout the entire treatment period, the animal should be given warm water, to which granulated sugar is first added.
The treatment process is quite complex and if you feel that you can’t cope on your own, then it is best to entrust the treatment of your ferret to professionals.
Food allergies
Another reason why your ferret sneezes and coughs frequently is allergies. As a rule, food allergies appear unexpectedly in an animal. If the animal has lost its appetite, it does not eat food as actively as before, but before and after eating it feels great, runs and frolics, then this should be a signal to reconsider the pet’s diet.
Often the cause of a food allergic reaction is the fact that the owner gives his pet food that is contraindicated for the ferret. That is why you need to carefully choose products: what you can and cannot give to your wayward pet.
Dust
The most common reason why a ferret coughs and constantly sneezes is simple dust in the room. As practice shows, sneezing is a natural process. For example, at the moment when the animal is washing itself or actively playing, you can hear it quietly sneezing or coughing. You shouldn’t sound the alarm right away; first of all, you need to take a closer look at how the animal behaves, whether it has lost its appetite, whether it is also active, how often it sneezes and coughs. It is important to understand that not every sneeze is a sign that your ferret has a cold. You should be wary at the moment when he sneezes or coughs more than 7 times in a row. In all other cases there is no cause for concern.
Parasites
Another reason why your ferret sneezes and coughs is the presence of parasites such as hookworms. They parasitize the respiratory system. The lungs, reacting to the nematodes, try to get rid of them, resulting in a severe cough in the animal.
As a rule, due to the appearance of worms, the animal also loses its appetite, apathy sets in, and this can often lead to death.
The first signs of the appearance of parasites are a severe cough and shortness of breath, even if the pet is in a calm state.In the later stages of the disease, body temperature may increase. For treatment, it is recommended to use anthelmintic drugs for cats.
Prevention measures
To prevent a number of diseases, it is recommended to provide your pet with appropriate living conditions. As a general rule, your ferret should live in a clean environment. The diet should include high-quality food, be complete and varied. If there are other animals at home that are susceptible to the disease, then it is worth preventing the ferret from coming into contact with them. During periods of illness, it is not recommended to take the animal in your arms; it is worth creating a quiet and calm environment for it.
Conclusion
If your ferret sneezes or coughs heavily, these are the first signs that something is bothering the animal. As a rule, if sneezing is infrequent and is heard quite rarely, then this may be caused by the presence of dust in the room. If sneezing and coughing occurs more than 5-6 times a day, then it is worth monitoring the ferret’s behavior to identify changes in behavior. Often, with colds, the ferret's body temperature may rise, lacrimation may begin, it will become lethargic, and it will lose its appetite. In such situations, it is recommended to immediately contact a veterinarian and begin treatment for your pet.
