What is Aleutian Disease in Ferrets?

Ferrets are glorious little creatures but there is nothing sadder than when these normally active and playful characters are not quite themselves. One condition they can catch from other ferrets and mink is called Aleutian disease. It is a parvovirus that quickly spreads throughout the body. The ferret's immune system kicks in to combat the virus but in doing so the antibodies which then negatively impacts vital organs causing them to fail.

Sadly, there is no known cure for this disease which means that if a ferret shows any symptoms and you have more than one pet in your household, you would need to have all of them tested for the virus. If the tests come back positive, the kindest thing would be to have all affected ferrets put to sleep unless the virus is in its non-progressive form.

Ferrets Can be Carriers

A ferret may contract Aleutian disease but never show any symptoms, remaining healthy which means they are carriers of the virus in its non-progressive form. However, over time they will lose condition and weight but in some cases a ferret that's a carrier, may well get very ill and then die. The condition can be confusing because some ferrets do contract Aleutian disease but then go on to recover from the virus and don't even become carriers. Unfortunately, it is more usual for ferrets with the condition to progressively get sicker and die but on the upside, the disease is quite rare.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

There are some obvious symptoms to watch out for and if you do notice any or are worried about your ferret, you should get them to the vet as soon as you can so a correct diagnosis can be made. The signs to watch out for include the following:

• Lethargy
• Paleness
• Weight loss and muscle wastage
• Swollen abdomen
• Dark or black coloured faeces
• A weakness in hind legs
• Stumbling, loss of balances, difficulty walking which are all neurological signs of the condition
• Stupor and coma

The Causes of Aleutian Disease

Ferrets contract the disease from an infected ferret or a mink by coming into contact with their body fluids, namely urine, blood and saliva. The condition was first discovered in mink but was later found in species of ferrets too.

Diagnosing the Condition

If you have any concerns, a quick trip to the vet would be in order so they could carry out a full and thorough examination which would include a complete blood profile and urinalysis. The vet would also need to have a much medical history as possible which would help them establish a correct diagnosis. Once preliminary tests have been done, a vet would also need to carry out more specific ones which includes an antibody test. This would show whether or not a ferret has contracted the parvovirus and if it is a persistent non-progressive form of the condition or not.

Treating Aleutian Disease

If tests prove that your ferret is a carrier of the parvovirus and has remained healthy, you could always keep them away from any other ferrets you might have in your household. In short you could quarantine them to prevent other pets from contracting the disease. Your vet would recommend your have all other ferrets you keep tested for the virus and then decide which route to take and whether it would be kinder to put infected pets to sleep.

Living and Managing the Condition

Ferrets can contract Aleutian disease but show no symptoms of the condition for anything from 2 to 3 years after which time, the virus takes hold and becomes active. You should have a pet ferret tested to make sure they are not carriers and that they are free of the virus.

Preventing Aleutian Disease

For the moment, there is no vaccine available for Aleutian disease so the only real way of preventing a pet from contracting the disease is to ensure they don't come into contact with other ferrets that may be infected and the same goes for mink because they too can be infected with the parvovirus and then pass it on to species of ferrets and other mink.

Conclusion

Ferrets are very playful creatures so when they are unusually quiet or not interesting in anything around them you know that something untoward is going on. If you are at all concerned that your pet may have contracted Aleutian disease you should get them to the vet as soon as you can. The vet would need to carry out a full and thorough examination to establish whether or not the parvovirus is present in their systems and if it is its non-progressive form or not. To date there is no vaccine against the condition, but ferrets can be tested to see if they are carriers of the virus. Fortunately, this is a very rare condition for domestic ferrets to suffer from, especially if they are kept as indoor pets.