Weakness

Hello i have a ferret and  from time to time becomes very weak and life less. I usually pick her up and comfort her and she soon after she becomes very alert again and happy(back to normal). i always show lots of attention toward her and feed her very healthy, But iv noticed this has happened about 3 or 4 times with in the past year. I am not sure what is the cause of this can u help me? She also has a circle on her ear its very light and kind of a green color what can this be? It kind of looks like it can be a birth mark or something. Could it be? It doesn't really look like one of those tattoed ferrets because it looks like something natural. Thank you for your time i hope to hear from u soon!!

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I think that your ferret may have a benign tumor called an Insulinoma.  Ferrets commonly get a benign tumor of their pancreas's called an Insulinoma.  It secretes too much insulin and the ferret becomes hypoglycemic (too little blood sugar).  When this occurs, they become weak and lifeless as you have described.

A fasting blood sugar level is necessary to diagnose this disease.  An ultrasound of the abdomen can sometimes show an enlarged pancreas.

Once diagnosis is made medical treatment, and possibly surgery are usually necessary to control or help eliminate the disease.  The two medications Prednisone and Diazoxide have been shown to help control the glucose levels and avoid hypoglycemia, by stabilizing insulin levels.

If you don't get treatment the hypoglycemia may progress and your ferret could even seizure.

When you bring your ferret for the fasting blood sugar test your vet could examine your ferrets ear.