Fatal Aplastic Anemia in Female Ferrets

When I lived in the UK from 2000 – 2005, I was surprised that most baby pet ferrets were sold intact. This is not common in the United States. Females or jills, at least, are routinely spayed at 6 weeks of age before going to the pet shop. Although some major pet store chains stopped selling ferrets to help curb the pet overpopulation problem, intact jill ferrets are still sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Female ferrets must be spayed. There’s no getting around that fact. When a female ferret comes in season (starts estrus) she does not stop until she’s been spayed or bred – naturally or artificially. If she’s not bred, she dies from aplastic anemia, also known as chronic hyperestrogenism.

What’s That?

Aplastic anemia is a fatal condition in ferrets. Some jills develop aplastic anemia from adrenal gland tumors, notes “Biology and Diseases of the Ferret” (Wiley-Blackwell; 1998) but the majority are unspayed jills in season.

The constant estrogen surge eventually causes a suppression of cells crucial to bone marrow’s ability to make more red blood cells and white blood cells. This causes an anemia so fierce that affected jills often need blood transfusions from male ferrets in order to survive.

Signs and Symptoms

There are three main signs that a jill is suffering from aplastic anemia – lethargy or moping, pale mucus membranes and swollen vulva. The affected jill ferret will seem to be tired all of the time. She will lack interest in playing. Her appetite may also decrease.

Her mucus membranes will become pale pink to white. The easiest membranes to check on a ferret are her gums.

Her vulva will be swollen. This is a normal sign that she is in heat, but combined with other two symptoms it can help a vet quickly diagnose aplastic anemia. A vet may still insist on doing a blood test to check for low packed cell volume (or PVC) to see how bad off she is. A PVC of 20% or less is a bad sign and the vet may recommend euthanasia, especially if the owner has financial problems.

Treatment

Treatment for the affected jill depends on how anemic she is. If brought to a vet early enough so that she is still feisty, the vet may be able to artificially stimulate the jill so it fools her body into bringing on ovulation and stopping the estrus cycle.

But if the jill is to anemic for artificial breeding, then she needs chemotherapy or chorionic gondatrophin hormone therapy to help her ovulate. VCA Animal Hospitals recommends a diet high in iron and vitamins combined with antibiotics to help her ovulate. When she’s stable, she needs to be spayed – or this will happen all over again.

References

“Biology and Diseases of the Ferret.” James G. Fox; Wiley-Blackwell; 1998.

VCA Animal Hospitals and Specialty Animal Hospitals. “Ferrets – Problems.” Rick Axelson, DVM. http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/ferrets—problems/980

2nd Chance. “Anemia in Ferrets.” Dr. Ronald Hines. http://www.2ndchance.info/ferretanemia.htm