How to Diagnose Tumors in Ferrets
Look for hair loss., Examine the skin., Detect an enlarged abdomen., Check for a swollen vulva on a female ferret., Look for tremors., Monitor your ferret’s appetite., Take note of vomiting and/or diarrhea., Watch for difficulty urinating in male...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for hair loss.
Tumors can cause a variety of physical symptoms in ferrets.
Hair loss is a common symptom with adrenal tumors.
If a ferret has an adrenal tumor, the hair loss will occur primarily on the tail and rear legs.
Eventually, the ferret may go completely bald.The hair loss with adrenal tumors is usually symmetrical, meaning the hair loss looks about equal on the right and left sides of a ferret's body. -
Step 2: Examine the skin.
Common forms of skin tumors in ferrets are mast cell tumors (MCT) and basal cell tumors, both of which produce easily recognizable masses on the skin.
MCTs can appear anywhere on the skin, but usually form on the torso and neck.
They are raised, have irregular shapes, and may be scabbed over if a ferret has been scratching at them (MCTs can be very itchy).Unlike in dogs, MCTs are benign (not harmful).
Interestingly, they can disappear and reappear on the skin, causing some ferret owners to mistake them for insect bites.Basal cell tumors are small and look like warts.
If the center of tumor is depressed, it may look like a little crater on the skin.
Basal cell tumors grow slowly.Internal tumors can also affect the skin.
Adrenal tumors can cause the skin to become thin.A ferret may have several tumors scattered on their skin. , Internal tumors can cause the abdomen to swell.
For example, liver tumors can make the liver so large that the abdomen distends.Lymphomas, which affect many organs (e.g., spleen, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract), can also cause abdominal distension.Adrenal tumors can create a ‘pot-bellied’ appearance, which means the abdomen is enlarged., The vulva is the external opening of a female’s genitalia.
A swollen vulva is characteristic of adrenal tumors.
The vulva swells because of an increased amount of estrogen being secreted from the adrenal glands.A swollen vulva also occurs when an intact female ferret is in heat.
If the female ferret is spayed and has a swollen vulva, then an adrenal tumor is a likely cause. , Tremors (muscle shakes) are common with insulinomas.
Insulinomas cause blood sugar levels to fall dangerously low.
In response to low blood sugar, the adrenals secrete adrenaline.
The extra adrenaline in the blood would cause a ferret with an insulinoma to experience muscle tremors.Muscle tremors look like little, periodic ripples in the muscle.
A ferret would not be able to control the tremors. , Tumors often cause decreased appetites in ferrets.
A ferret with liver cancer, lymphoma, or an adrenal tumor will eat less and subsequently lose weight.On the contrary, ferrets with insulinoma often eat more, yet still lose weight.When you feed your ferret, measure how much food you give it and observe how much (or how little) food is left over at the end of mealtime. , Lymphoma can cause diarrhea and vomiting, especially if the tumor is located in the gastrointestinal tract.
The feces may have a red tinge due to blood.The diarrhea may also be chronic., In male ferrets, adrenal tumors can cause a cyst (fluid-filled mass) to form in or around the prostate gland.
The prostate gland is located near the urethra, the tube through which urine passes after leaving the bladder.
If the prostate gland has a cyst in or around it, urine will be blocked from leaving the bladder, making urination difficult if not impossible.A urine blockage is an emergency situation in ferrets.
If a male ferret cannot urinate, it would need immediate veterinary treatment to relieve the blockage and prevent bladder rupture., Healthy ferrets are very playful and energetic.Some tumors, though, can make a ferret feel weak and tired.
Liver cancer, insulinomas, and lymphomas often cause lethargy and weakness in ferrets.Occasionally, lethargy occurs in a ferret with an adrenal tumor.Adrenal tumors can also cause muscle atrophy, which is the loss of muscle mass.Without out much muscle mass, a ferret becomes weak.
Weakness can form very rapidly with lymphoma., Tumors in ferrets can sometimes cause unusual behavior and personality changes.
For example, adrenal tumors make male ferrets very aggressive due to increased testosterone levels.Insulinomas can cause several personality changes, including irritability and stargazing (staring strangely into space).If your ferret seems to be acting a little strange, a tumor may be the cause. , A tumor in a ferret must be diagnosed by a veterinarian.
A detailed history is one tool a vet will use to diagnose the tumor.Importantly, a history should include a description of the symptoms: what they look like and when they started.
A description of the ferret’s diet and housing environment would also be helpful information for your vet.
It may be helpful to keep a diary of the ferret’s diet and symptoms. , A physical examination is another key aspect of making a tumor diagnosis.During the physical exam, your vet will look over your ferret’s entire body and listen to its heart and lungs.
If internal tumors are greatly enlarged, your vet may be able to feel the tumors (e.g., lumps in the lymph nodes).
Based on the history and physical exam, your vet will recommend diagnostic tests to diagnose the tumor. , A blood sample is a helpful diagnostic tool.
For example, a blood sample can be analyzed for sex hormone levels, which is helpful for diagnosing an adrenal tumor.If a ferret has lymphoma, the blood work will show increased levels of lymphocytes (immune system cells).Blood work is also important for liver cancer.Liver cancer would cause an increase in liver enzyme levels.
For an insulinoma, your vet would take a blood sample 4 or more hours after the ferret’s last meal to measure fasting blood glucose., A biopsy is a sample of tissue.
It is often the most definitive method of tumor diagnosis.
A biopsy is a surgical procedure, so your vet would anesthetize your ferret to take the sample.
After taking the biopsy, your vet would send it to a veterinary pathologist for further analysis.
Biopsy results would let your vet know if the tumor is benign or malignant (harmful and likely to spread).
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is another sampling technique.
With FNA, your vet would draw up a small tumor sample using a thin needle and look at the sample under the microscope.
FNA can provide an initial tumor diagnosis that would be confirmed by a biopsy.
FNA can provide an initial diagnosis for mast cell tumors., For internal tumors, x-rays and ultrasounds can be effective diagnostic tools.
For example, with liver cancer, chest x-rays would show if the cancer has spread to the lungs.X-rays and ultrasound are useful for visualizing lymphoma.They can also indicate if internal organs are enlarged due to tumors.
Ultrasound is sometimes helpful for identifying adrenal tumors.However, ferret adrenals are very tiny and may be hard to see on an ultrasound image.
If your vet wants to perform FNA on an internal tumor, ultrasound can be used to identify where your vet should put the needle.
Not all tumors need to be visualized.
For example, an insulinoma diagnosis is usually based on clinical signs and blood work results., Your vet will come up with a treatment plan after examining your ferret and diagnosing the specific tumor type.
General tumor treatment strategies include surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy (drugs that kill tumor cells), and radiation therapy (a beam of radiation that kills tumor cells).
Sometimes, more than one type of treatment may be needed to kill all of the tumor cells, or if the cancer cells come back after initial treatment.
Your vet will determine how long your ferret will need treatment.
Ask questions about the treatment plan:
How do the drugs work and what are their side effects? How long will it take for my ferret to recover? What are the risks of surgery? Will the cancer come back? -
Step 3: Detect an enlarged abdomen.
-
Step 4: Check for a swollen vulva on a female ferret.
-
Step 5: Look for tremors.
-
Step 6: Monitor your ferret’s appetite.
-
Step 7: Take note of vomiting and/or diarrhea.
-
Step 8: Watch for difficulty urinating in male ferrets.
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Step 9: Observe decreases in physical activity.
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Step 10: Watch for personality changes.
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Step 11: Provide a history of your ferret to your vet.
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Step 12: Allow your vet to physically examine your ferret.
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Step 13: Have your vet take a blood sample.
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Step 14: Agree to your vet performing a biopsy.
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Step 15: Have your vet use diagnostic imaging techniques.
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Step 16: Get your ferret's tumor treated.
Detailed Guide
Tumors can cause a variety of physical symptoms in ferrets.
Hair loss is a common symptom with adrenal tumors.
If a ferret has an adrenal tumor, the hair loss will occur primarily on the tail and rear legs.
Eventually, the ferret may go completely bald.The hair loss with adrenal tumors is usually symmetrical, meaning the hair loss looks about equal on the right and left sides of a ferret's body.
Common forms of skin tumors in ferrets are mast cell tumors (MCT) and basal cell tumors, both of which produce easily recognizable masses on the skin.
MCTs can appear anywhere on the skin, but usually form on the torso and neck.
They are raised, have irregular shapes, and may be scabbed over if a ferret has been scratching at them (MCTs can be very itchy).Unlike in dogs, MCTs are benign (not harmful).
Interestingly, they can disappear and reappear on the skin, causing some ferret owners to mistake them for insect bites.Basal cell tumors are small and look like warts.
If the center of tumor is depressed, it may look like a little crater on the skin.
Basal cell tumors grow slowly.Internal tumors can also affect the skin.
Adrenal tumors can cause the skin to become thin.A ferret may have several tumors scattered on their skin. , Internal tumors can cause the abdomen to swell.
For example, liver tumors can make the liver so large that the abdomen distends.Lymphomas, which affect many organs (e.g., spleen, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract), can also cause abdominal distension.Adrenal tumors can create a ‘pot-bellied’ appearance, which means the abdomen is enlarged., The vulva is the external opening of a female’s genitalia.
A swollen vulva is characteristic of adrenal tumors.
The vulva swells because of an increased amount of estrogen being secreted from the adrenal glands.A swollen vulva also occurs when an intact female ferret is in heat.
If the female ferret is spayed and has a swollen vulva, then an adrenal tumor is a likely cause. , Tremors (muscle shakes) are common with insulinomas.
Insulinomas cause blood sugar levels to fall dangerously low.
In response to low blood sugar, the adrenals secrete adrenaline.
The extra adrenaline in the blood would cause a ferret with an insulinoma to experience muscle tremors.Muscle tremors look like little, periodic ripples in the muscle.
A ferret would not be able to control the tremors. , Tumors often cause decreased appetites in ferrets.
A ferret with liver cancer, lymphoma, or an adrenal tumor will eat less and subsequently lose weight.On the contrary, ferrets with insulinoma often eat more, yet still lose weight.When you feed your ferret, measure how much food you give it and observe how much (or how little) food is left over at the end of mealtime. , Lymphoma can cause diarrhea and vomiting, especially if the tumor is located in the gastrointestinal tract.
The feces may have a red tinge due to blood.The diarrhea may also be chronic., In male ferrets, adrenal tumors can cause a cyst (fluid-filled mass) to form in or around the prostate gland.
The prostate gland is located near the urethra, the tube through which urine passes after leaving the bladder.
If the prostate gland has a cyst in or around it, urine will be blocked from leaving the bladder, making urination difficult if not impossible.A urine blockage is an emergency situation in ferrets.
If a male ferret cannot urinate, it would need immediate veterinary treatment to relieve the blockage and prevent bladder rupture., Healthy ferrets are very playful and energetic.Some tumors, though, can make a ferret feel weak and tired.
Liver cancer, insulinomas, and lymphomas often cause lethargy and weakness in ferrets.Occasionally, lethargy occurs in a ferret with an adrenal tumor.Adrenal tumors can also cause muscle atrophy, which is the loss of muscle mass.Without out much muscle mass, a ferret becomes weak.
Weakness can form very rapidly with lymphoma., Tumors in ferrets can sometimes cause unusual behavior and personality changes.
For example, adrenal tumors make male ferrets very aggressive due to increased testosterone levels.Insulinomas can cause several personality changes, including irritability and stargazing (staring strangely into space).If your ferret seems to be acting a little strange, a tumor may be the cause. , A tumor in a ferret must be diagnosed by a veterinarian.
A detailed history is one tool a vet will use to diagnose the tumor.Importantly, a history should include a description of the symptoms: what they look like and when they started.
A description of the ferret’s diet and housing environment would also be helpful information for your vet.
It may be helpful to keep a diary of the ferret’s diet and symptoms. , A physical examination is another key aspect of making a tumor diagnosis.During the physical exam, your vet will look over your ferret’s entire body and listen to its heart and lungs.
If internal tumors are greatly enlarged, your vet may be able to feel the tumors (e.g., lumps in the lymph nodes).
Based on the history and physical exam, your vet will recommend diagnostic tests to diagnose the tumor. , A blood sample is a helpful diagnostic tool.
For example, a blood sample can be analyzed for sex hormone levels, which is helpful for diagnosing an adrenal tumor.If a ferret has lymphoma, the blood work will show increased levels of lymphocytes (immune system cells).Blood work is also important for liver cancer.Liver cancer would cause an increase in liver enzyme levels.
For an insulinoma, your vet would take a blood sample 4 or more hours after the ferret’s last meal to measure fasting blood glucose., A biopsy is a sample of tissue.
It is often the most definitive method of tumor diagnosis.
A biopsy is a surgical procedure, so your vet would anesthetize your ferret to take the sample.
After taking the biopsy, your vet would send it to a veterinary pathologist for further analysis.
Biopsy results would let your vet know if the tumor is benign or malignant (harmful and likely to spread).
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is another sampling technique.
With FNA, your vet would draw up a small tumor sample using a thin needle and look at the sample under the microscope.
FNA can provide an initial tumor diagnosis that would be confirmed by a biopsy.
FNA can provide an initial diagnosis for mast cell tumors., For internal tumors, x-rays and ultrasounds can be effective diagnostic tools.
For example, with liver cancer, chest x-rays would show if the cancer has spread to the lungs.X-rays and ultrasound are useful for visualizing lymphoma.They can also indicate if internal organs are enlarged due to tumors.
Ultrasound is sometimes helpful for identifying adrenal tumors.However, ferret adrenals are very tiny and may be hard to see on an ultrasound image.
If your vet wants to perform FNA on an internal tumor, ultrasound can be used to identify where your vet should put the needle.
Not all tumors need to be visualized.
For example, an insulinoma diagnosis is usually based on clinical signs and blood work results., Your vet will come up with a treatment plan after examining your ferret and diagnosing the specific tumor type.
General tumor treatment strategies include surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy (drugs that kill tumor cells), and radiation therapy (a beam of radiation that kills tumor cells).
Sometimes, more than one type of treatment may be needed to kill all of the tumor cells, or if the cancer cells come back after initial treatment.
Your vet will determine how long your ferret will need treatment.
Ask questions about the treatment plan:
How do the drugs work and what are their side effects? How long will it take for my ferret to recover? What are the risks of surgery? Will the cancer come back?
About the Author
Ralph Wood
A seasoned expert in lifestyle and practical guides, Ralph Wood combines 5 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Ralph's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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