Your Ferret's Heart

Just like a cat or dog, a ferret can also suffer from heart disease. As we know, there are no cures for heart disease, only pet heart meds used to treat symptoms. What can you do on your own to help keep your ferret alive? Try keeping him calm—stress can be fatal to a ferret with a heart disease. Give an ill ferret his own cage and, if possible, his own room (a bathroom or small area with a door). Let him have designated play and sleep times and limit the amount of people that you allow to fool with him.

How can you keep your ferret healthy? If you notice that your ferret is having a tantrum pick him up immediately. Additionally, keep temperatures below 80 F and try to not let it vary a lot in your home. Remove any larger, heavier toys that your ferret habitually moves and replace them with smaller ones. Invest in a shallow litter pan with a smaller ramp or lower entryways. Keep in mind that ferrets respond more to praise than punishment; scolding a ferret never does any good—especially a ferret with cardiomyopathy (it could be extremely dangerous). Let your ill ferret get away with more than usual.