Ferrets hair

[J.DOG 1,355]

My ferret (hob) is 1 yr old and has lost all his hair on his belly and is starting to lose hair on his back is this normal help

 

Thanks J.DOG

[max abell 196]

this time of year mate it's quite ferrets to lose hair 2 of my jills tails are compleatly bald this happens most summers but it does grow back in the autum

[J.DOG 1,355]

But he has lost all the hair on his belly and it looks like it's speeding it looks like the  adrenal disease 

[kurtrog70 6]

If your Ferret has pipes in his run then this could be a cause to the hair loss on his belly, and due to the time of year when they moult any way the friction between the pipes and the ferrets belly just makes it easier for the hair to fall out. I have the same problem. Come autum everything is back to normal

ATB

Kurt

[The one 8,479]

If you have a pop hole from his living area to the sleeping quarters that might be doing it as well .a bit of baldness is nothing unless its fleas or mites

 

Iv'e three elderly jills totally bald , but with the darker nights there hair will start to grow back . happens every year they dont come into season and go bald

[ferret100 47]

Seasonal hair loss of the tail is quite normal, but losing hair on the belly & back, or complete baldness isn't normal, but not unheard of. Your hob is very young, Adrenal Disease tends to affect older ferrets, so don't worry too much. Are the bald patches red/scaly/flaky/dirty/sore looking? Does he scratch at them or keep licking/grooming himself? Is he happy in himself and eating/drinking/being active? Did the baldness appear quite suddenly, or slowly over time? Bit vague, but it could be an allergy/skin disease/parasites/stress/diet/hormone issue, or as others have said, maybe the hair is being rubbed, if so, the hair at the edge of the patches would be short and broken looking, but you will know yourself if you think the hair is being rubbed away. If the baldness keeps spreading, then might be worth having it looked. If there is no real issue, the coat will completely regrow after he moults. Good luck with it anyway.

[J.DOG 1,355]

Seasonal hair loss of the tail is quite normal, but losing hair on the belly & back, or complete baldness isn't normal, but not unheard of. Your hob is very young, Adrenal Disease tends to affect older ferrets, so don't worry too much. Are the bald patches red/scaly/flaky/dirty/sore looking? Does he scratch at them or keep licking/grooming himself? Is he happy in himself and eating/drinking/being active? Did the baldness appear quite suddenly, or slowly over time? Bit vague, but it could be an allergy/skin disease/parasites/stress/diet/hormone issue, or as others have said, maybe the hair is being rubbed, if so, the hair at the edge of the patches would be short and broken looking, but you will know yourself if you think the hair is being rubbed away. If the baldness keeps spreading, then might be worth having it looked. If there is no real issue, the coat will completely regrow after he moults. Good luck with it anyway.

 

thanks lads

 

He does have a hole to his bed room but it's not that he was pulling at it weeks ago but it was the hair near his penis he is sore if I touch his belly he trys to get away I also noticed that his penis is red and lookes irritating but I had him in the garden and he was chasing me jumping , rolling ploding around he is eating and drinking as normal

but I noticed he is not cleaning himself at all when I went out there this morning his back end was covered in sh*t he normally grooms himself well.But he seems happy in himself he was sitting on my shoulder while I cleaned out his hutch lol I dont know if I'm over reacting but it's better to be safe than sorry I will keep an eye on him and his beahavior

 

Thanks lads for your help

 

ATB

J.DOG

Edited August 19, 2011 by J.DOG

[ferret100 47]

Seasonal hair loss of the tail is quite normal, but losing hair on the belly & back, or complete baldness isn't normal, but not unheard of. Your hob is very young, Adrenal Disease tends to affect older ferrets, so don't worry too much. Are the bald patches red/scaly/flaky/dirty/sore looking? Does he scratch at them or keep licking/grooming himself? Is he happy in himself and eating/drinking/being active? Did the baldness appear quite suddenly, or slowly over time? Bit vague, but it could be an allergy/skin disease/parasites/stress/diet/hormone issue, or as others have said, maybe the hair is being rubbed, if so, the hair at the edge of the patches would be short and broken looking, but you will know yourself if you think the hair is being rubbed away. If the baldness keeps spreading, then might be worth having it looked. If there is no real issue, the coat will completely regrow after he moults. Good luck with it anyway.

 

thanks lads

 

He does have a hole to his bed room but it's not that he was pulling at it weeks ago but it was the hair near his penis he is sore if I touch his belly he trys to get away I also noticed that his penis is red and lookes irritating but I had him in the garden and he was chasing me jumping , rolling ploding around he is eating and drinking as normal

but I noticed he is not cleaning himself at all when I went out there this morning his back end was covered in sh*t he normally grooms himself well.But he seems happy in himself he was sitting on my shoulder while I cleaned out his hutch lol I dont know if I'm over reacting but it's better to be safe than sorry I will keep an eye on him and his beahavior

 

Thanks lads for your help

 

ATB

J.DOG

I'd get him looked at, sooner the better. Hair loss/sore & red penis/covered in his own crap isn't good, regardless if he seems chirpy in himself. Let us know how he fares. Atb.

[J.DOG 1,355]

Will do mate

 

Thanks

[J.DOG 1,355]

I've just done abit of reaserch and found this

 

Breeding season alopecia.

 

This is extremely common and is seen in the male and female although more common in the jill. It occurs typically from March to August with the coat growing back in the autumn. You must remember that some adrenal tumour cases do the same at first then fail to grow back so always consider adrenal tumour when looking at this condition. The hair loss is symmetrical affecting the tail, perineum, belly, rump and occasionally the feet and around the eyes. The ferrets are otherwise healthy.

 

It sounds as if this is what my ferret is going through

[ferret100 47]

The vet who provided that info is John Dindale, of Andale Veterinary Centre, Cheshire. Don't know if that's near you, if so, it might be worth a call for some advice to ease your worries? With his sore/red willy, he may have a urinary tract infection & feel a bit poorly and therefore not grooming himself or going to the toilet as normal.

[B.P.R 2,798]

Andale veterinary clinic- my old vets when I

Lived down that end! Very reputable and well known

[J.DOG 1,355]

Cheers lads

[Ideation 8,216]

Hair loss sounds normal ish, but the red sore penis sounds like it could be an infection??

[J.DOG 1,355]

Just like to say I had my ferret at vets today the vet wasn't sure what was wrong but got some treatment for mites and also give my ferret some medication for an infection

 

Got to keep an eye on him for two weeks if there is no improvement I will take him back

 

Thanks for your help lads