One common problem ferrets can encounter is green, runny, slimy poop.
What causes green poop and how can you treat it? This is the second in a series on health related problems you might face as a ferret owner.
The simple causes One cause of green, runny poop is a ferret that didn't keep the food in their digestive system long enough.
Changing a ferret's food rapidly, without transitioning, can result in digestive upsets that can cause green poop.
Additionally, there are several stomach bugs (think food poisoning) that can make your fuzzies ill with runny excrement.
Keep your furry friend well hydrated.
If he's not eating or drinking, force him to.
Duck soup and water can be fed by a syringe to force feed him if necessary.
(There are a bunch of recipes for duck soup, but chicken baby food works well.
) The EEKS, or rather, the ECE cause If your ferret just has a day of green, runny poop, you might not need to worry about ECE.
But, if your ferret doesn't get better right away, he might have ECE.
What is ECE? Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE), or green slime disease, is a fancy way of referring to a disease that inflames mucous membranes, affects the ferret's intestine, and has reached epidemic levels.
This disease came on the scene in 1993, and was eventually determined to be a virus.
Like the chicken pox in humans, ECE makes the animal sick for a few weeks.
Once the animal is better, it can still pass the virus on to other animals.
Estimates for this contagious period vary from 6 months to the ferret whole life.
What are the symptoms and how is the disease diagnosed? Vets diagnose the disease from the ferret's symptoms.
The disease hits older fuzzies harder than it does younger ones.
What are the symptoms? Your ferret might vomit.
His or her poop might be diarrhetic, and it might have a lot of mucus in it.
At other stages in the disease's progress, the excrement might appear seedy, like bird seed.
You fuzzy will lack energy and won't want to do anything.
He may not want to eat or drink.
Your ferret might become dehydrated.
He might h a fever.
How do they get the disease? Many baby ferrets get ECE from their mothers.
The babies recover and are sold in the pet stores, seemingly healthy.
When you bring that new baby home, you might have an outbreak.
You or your ferrets might be around other ferrets who are contagious.
Your ferrets can get it from other ferrets, or from you if you haven't washed thoroughly after handling contagious critters..
How do you treat ECE? ECE is a virus and there is no cure for it.
So, help your baby through the symptoms.
Keep your fuzzy hydrated.
Make your fuzzy eat.
Give your fuzzy lots of rest and keep him in a warm and cozy area.
If your ferret develops too high a fever, take him to the vet.
If your baby gets dehydrated, take him to the vet.
Some vets give antibacterial medicines to the ferret to kill off secondary infections.
Some vets give prednisone to the ferret to help his appetite.
What causes green poop and how can you treat it? This is the second in a series on health related problems you might face as a ferret owner.
The simple causes One cause of green, runny poop is a ferret that didn't keep the food in their digestive system long enough.
Changing a ferret's food rapidly, without transitioning, can result in digestive upsets that can cause green poop.
Additionally, there are several stomach bugs (think food poisoning) that can make your fuzzies ill with runny excrement.
Keep your furry friend well hydrated.
If he's not eating or drinking, force him to.
Duck soup and water can be fed by a syringe to force feed him if necessary.
(There are a bunch of recipes for duck soup, but chicken baby food works well.
) The EEKS, or rather, the ECE cause If your ferret just has a day of green, runny poop, you might not need to worry about ECE.
But, if your ferret doesn't get better right away, he might have ECE.
What is ECE? Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE), or green slime disease, is a fancy way of referring to a disease that inflames mucous membranes, affects the ferret's intestine, and has reached epidemic levels.
This disease came on the scene in 1993, and was eventually determined to be a virus.
Like the chicken pox in humans, ECE makes the animal sick for a few weeks.
Once the animal is better, it can still pass the virus on to other animals.
Estimates for this contagious period vary from 6 months to the ferret whole life.
What are the symptoms and how is the disease diagnosed? Vets diagnose the disease from the ferret's symptoms.
The disease hits older fuzzies harder than it does younger ones.
What are the symptoms? Your ferret might vomit.
His or her poop might be diarrhetic, and it might have a lot of mucus in it.
At other stages in the disease's progress, the excrement might appear seedy, like bird seed.
You fuzzy will lack energy and won't want to do anything.
He may not want to eat or drink.
Your ferret might become dehydrated.
He might h a fever.
How do they get the disease? Many baby ferrets get ECE from their mothers.
The babies recover and are sold in the pet stores, seemingly healthy.
When you bring that new baby home, you might have an outbreak.
You or your ferrets might be around other ferrets who are contagious.
Your ferrets can get it from other ferrets, or from you if you haven't washed thoroughly after handling contagious critters..
How do you treat ECE? ECE is a virus and there is no cure for it.
So, help your baby through the symptoms.
Keep your fuzzy hydrated.
Make your fuzzy eat.
Give your fuzzy lots of rest and keep him in a warm and cozy area.
If your ferret develops too high a fever, take him to the vet.
If your baby gets dehydrated, take him to the vet.
Some vets give antibacterial medicines to the ferret to kill off secondary infections.
Some vets give prednisone to the ferret to help his appetite.
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