| Diarrhoea is a symptom and NOT a disease, it is indicative of a problem, which may be serious or minor but will still require investigation. In ferrets this condition is often referred to as the 'scours' and is often a sign that the animal has been fed on a poor diet or its food is contaminated. |
| If your ferret has a very soft stool or diarrhea first eliminate all treats. The usual cause of diarrhea is food that contains a high percentage of milk, such as ice cream or cottage cheese. A sudden change in feed can also cause a day or two of soft stools. |
| Your ferret can also have intestinal flu. This is usually associated with greenish loose stool for a day or two, after which the ferret is back to normal. With continued diarrhea, dehydration is the biggest risk, with the ferret not taking in as much liquid as it is loosing. This can be life threatening. |
| You should then take your ferret to the veterinarian, who can inject fluid under the skin in several places. The ferret absorbs this fluid gradually and this greatly reduces the risk of dehydration while the cause of the diarrhea is being corrected. |
| Note: One cause of diarrhea in ferrets is as a result of the organism Campylobacter, which is contageous to humans. Handle feces with a scoop and thoroughly wash your hands if your ferret has this problem . |
