Came to feed ferrets and half of them dead!

[Daleside pest control 5]

Hi all.

I’m really gutted to say just come to feed my ferrets today and I’ve found 4 dead and 1 on its last legs. Never had anything like this happen.

I read an article last year in the Country man’s weekly about something similar happening to another fella.

He believed it was from feeding squirrels and possibly Squirrel parapox that had caused the deaths. I was sceptical when I first read this as I’ve fed hundreds if not over a thousand squirrels to my ferrets over the years with no issue. 

Anyone else had something similar happen? Also anyone have any thoughts on Squirrel Parapox being lethal to ferrets? 
 

I’m may take one of the ferrets to have post mortem done but not sure what the outcome will be and if they can either test for Parapox

Thanks in advance for any response to this, I really don’t want something like this happening again in future. 
 

Simon.

 

 

[WataWalloper 360]

Was doing a rabbit job last week up in leyburn an was told of a lad up there that lost 3 over night last week, al young heathy ferrets

[Kalibrgun 931]

I've lost 2 lots this year fit and healthy dead over night 

[Luckee legs 467]

Really sorry to read this.pretty sure there's nothing you could have done. I have only very rarely had unexplained death of a ferret and never a group. You'll probably know they can get a parvovirus "Aleutian disease". That's a potential 

In  over 40 years I've only once had a whole group ill and one of the symptoms was a severe diarrhea, I had to syringe rehydration fluids into their mouths as they were very weak. 

Another high risk is human flu virus, I recently had a Jill (kept separate as she was not liked by the others ) die in 48 hours in the week I had a flu vaccine, maybe coincidence although I'd had a nasty cold a week before as well

On diagnosis, anything is possible if you find the right laboratory.

[Daleside pest control 5]

Ok thanks guys for your input. I have had the odd loss of a single ferret unexplained but never this. 

It’s just weird how all my older ferrets are fine. I’m glad I still have my older ferrets at least as those are my go to ferrets so I’ll get by work wise but it’s still a big loss.

I’ve one yearling ferret that ain’t looking to clever, when you say rehydration fluids what are they? Do you get it from the vets or make up yourself? 
 

Simon.

Edited Thursday at 19:48 by Daleside pest control

[Daleside pest control 5]

Funny that as I’m in Harrogate which isn’t so far from Leyburn and I do a bit up there. 

Edited Thursday at 19:47 by Daleside pest control

[Daleside pest control 5]

1 hour ago, Luckee legs said:

Really sorry to read this.pretty sure there's nothing you could have done. I have only very rarely had unexplained death of a ferret and never a group. You'll probably know they can get a parvovirus "Aleutian disease". That's a potential 

In  over 40 years I've only once had a whole group ill and one of the symptoms was a severe diarrhea, I had to syringe rehydration fluids into their mouths as they

4 hours ago, WataWalloper said:

Was doing a rabbit job last week up in leyburn an was told of a lad up there that lost 3 over night last week, al young heathy ferrets

 

1 hour ago, Luckee legs said:

Really sorry to read this.pretty sure there's nothing you could have done. I have only very rarely had unexplained death of a ferret and never a group. You'll probably know they can get a parvovirus "Aleutian disease". That's a potential 

In  over 40 years I've only once had a whole group ill and one of the symptoms was a severe diarrhea, I had to syringe rehydration fluids into their mouths as they were very weak. 

Another high risk is human flu virus, I recently had a Jill (kept separate as she was not liked by the others ) die in 48 hours in the week I had a flu vaccine, maybe coincidence although I'd had a nasty cold a week before as well

On diagnosis, anything is possible if you find the right laboratory.

 

4 hours ago, Kalibrgun said:

I've lost 2 lots this year fit and healthy dead over night 

went were very weak. 

Another high risk is human flu virus, I recently had a Jill (kept separate as she was not liked by the others ) die in 48 hours in the week I had a flu vaccine, maybe coincidence although I'd had a nasty cold a week before as well

On diagnosis, anything is possible if you find the right laboratory.

 

4 hours ago, WataWalloper said:

Was doing a rabbit job last week up in leyburn an was told of a lad up there that lost 3 over night last week, al young heathy ferrets

 

Just now, Daleside pest control said:

Funny that as I’m in Harrogate which isn’t so far from Leyburn and I do a bit up there. 

 

[BEARINATOR 2,867]

Not bird flu getting them as it’s starting to become more common to hear of a few dying together 

[Arry 21,758]

Sorry for your loss mate.

I would suspect Botulism where the Ferrets may have taken meat into the nest box or hidden somewhere. 

Botulism in Ferrets | Vetlexicon

WWW.VETLEXICON.COM

---

View Botulism & more Ferret resources at Vetlexicon. Over 28,000 peer-reviewed resources: Canis, Lapis, Bovis, Equis, Felis, & Exotis.

Cheers Arry

[Daleside pest control 5]

Thanks for the replies. The last youngster died over night and now my older ferrets are unwell. In at the vet’s now to see if they can help them.

Brought them indoors yesterday so I can keep a closer eye on them and soon noticed they all have diarrhoea and occasionally been sick. So it’s the dehydration that’s getting to them. Tried the dehydration fluids but that’s only gone so far. 
 

I’m absolutely gutted, I know everyone thinks their ferrets are the best but I had a really good line that I spent a lot of time breeding, bringing on and caring for. 

 

[Daleside pest control 5]

It has to be some sort of Virus

[DogMagic2 48]

Could it be distemper? I lost a bunch of ferrets years ago when a fox killed a bunch of my dads racing pigeons and i fed them to the ferrets. Turns out the fox had distemper and some of its saliva wason the birds. 

[Luckee legs 467]

On 19/12/2024 at 19:20, Daleside pest control said:

Ok thanks guys for your input. I have had the odd loss of a single ferret unexplained but never this. 

It’s just weird how all my older ferrets are fine. I’m glad I still have my older ferrets at least as those are my go to ferrets so I’ll get by work wise but it’s still a big loss.

I’ve one yearling ferret that ain’t looking to clever, when you say rehydration fluids what are they? Do you get it from the vets or make up yourself? 
 

Simon.

 

18 hours ago, DogMagic2 said:

Could it be distemper? I lost a bunch of ferrets years ago when a fox killed a bunch of my dads racing pigeons and i fed them to the ferrets. Turns out the fox had distemper and some of its saliva wason the birds. 

Hope the older ferrets survived. On rehydration I just used sachets from the chemist made up in water. Most of them hated it so I had to syringe it into their mouths. One hob loved the blackcurrant flavour and would drink it happily 

[Luckee legs 467]

On 19/12/2024 at 22:41, BEARINATOR said:

Not bird flu getting them as it’s starting to become more common to hear of a few dying together 

Bird flu is crossing into a range of mammals that's for sure. I read of several zoos where big cats and other mammals have died. 

[Luckee legs 467]

I have arranged to take a hob to the vet midday today. He started making audible wheezing noises when breathing yesterday and I can feel his chest is struggling. He's split from the other six as he's only been with me 7 days and I try to isolate new ferrets so hopefully he's not passed it onto the others