Hunting ferret

There are animal species whose care requires special expertise, as their biology and diseases are different from the diseases of dogs and cats most often treated in pet practices.

The hunting ferret is also such an animal species.

Writings from ancient times already mention ferrets, but their domestication does not go back ten thousand years, as in the case of dogs.

Some of their characteristics also follow from this.

Ferrets cannot be considered fully domesticated animals.

Their biology follows the seasonal changes of nature better than dogs. This is also why their sexual activity is seasonal, females can fire from spring to autumn.

The female ferrets are so-called provoked ovulatory animals, this means that in the absence of mating, ovulation does not occur in them and a disease called overheating develops, which can be life-threatening.

Overshooting in a hunting bow

The essence of overheating is that the follicles that remain permanently on the ovaries produce a sex hormone called estrogen. Excessive estrogen levels can cause bone marrow damage, coagulation disorders and ultimately the death of the animal.

How to prevent this disease?

If we do not want to breed our görs (a significant part of owners do not want to), then it is recommended to sterilize the females. As an alternative solution, implant placement or mating with a vasectomized (vasectomy) male arises.

But what about males?

Sexual males emit a characteristic musky smell around them – especially in the presence of females. Their behavior is also often more unpredictable than that of their neutered counterparts. For this reason, sterilization is also recommended for them, or the use of hormone-containing implants to prevent unpleasant phenomena.

Their most common diseases:

Diseases of the hormonal system are common in hunting ferrets. Their adrenal glands tend to overwork, which causes weight loss, patchy hair loss, hairless tails, and itching. This condition is called Ferret Adrenal Disease Complex (FADC). Fortunately, there is a suitable therapy for it.

“Rat’s tail” type of hair loss

A disease called insulinoma is also common in ferrets. The essence of this is that the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas transform into tumors and produce insulin in excessive amounts.

As a result, the animal’s blood sugar level decreases.

Lethargy, paralysis-like symptoms appearing on the back half of the body, numbness are typical symptoms of the disease. A blood test and an abdominal ultrasound are essential for establishing a diagnosis.

The disease cannot be cured, but the animal’s quality of life can be improved and its life can be extended with medicine and, if lucky, with surgery.

In prevention, it is important not to give our ferret sweet, sugary foods with a high carbohydrate content.

A frequently asked question by owners is whether it is possible to remove the “stink gland” of ferrets?

Well, in Europe, this surgery is prohibited for animal protection reasons, this surgery may only be performed with a valid veterinary reason.

Goriks are also susceptible to viruses, the sopornyica virus, which also causes disease in dogs, can cause a serious, life-threatening condition in them.

During the flu season, they may also develop fever and respiratory symptoms, as they are interestingly susceptible to the human influenza virus.

It is also clear from the short description that ferrets have (also) special diseases, the treatment of which requires special expertise.

In Szent Bernát They can sign up with their hunting ferrets for Dr. Tamás Zöldi’s special order.

⇒ Dr. Tamás Zöldi is a veterinarian

Registration and information: 06 1 295 3085.