Ask The Veterinarian
- Ferrets as pets

A. I will tell you that they can be quite entertaining and usually come from a Ferret Farm that breeds them specifically for house pets.

One thing is to make sure where the ferret comes from and that he is de-scented or you will regret it immensely. They are mischievous animals that can get themselves into trouble without strict supervision.

They do have several diseases they are prone to:

• Insulinoma

• Adrenal tumors

• Distemper Virus

• Aplastic anemias (females)

They also tend to eat things they shouldn't and have GI foreign bodies that require surgical intervention. I have done surgery on Ferrets and they are fun patients but they can be difficult to manage post-operatively in the hospital and at home.

My advice? Be wary because they are higher maintenance than a cat or dog.