Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition that occurs in many animal species including people. Ferrets normally have a rather loose stool so the early signs of mucoid and watery stools can be overlooked until the condition is rather advanced. Ferrets with this condition become picky eaters and loose much of their spunk and curiosity. Their coat’s lack luster and they may become rather bony and unthrifty. The ferrets stool takes on a grainy, ”bird seed” appearance due to the inability to absorb proteins fats and carbohydrates. Stool frequency increases.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a collective diagnosis with similar signs but a number of different causes. The problem can be confused with Campylobacter proliferative colitis, Helicobacter mustelae and other infections. X-rays and ultrasound are not very helpful in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease. Because of this, absolute diagnosis is rare, as it requires samples of the wall of the intestine, taken at several levels. Few veterinary practices have the equipment necessary to obtain these samples without surgery.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease results from chronic irritation of the lining of the intestine. This could be due to constant exposure to certain dietary ingredients to which the body has become allergic or the presence of certain bacteria or toxins. In humans, wheat gluten is responsible for many cases of inflammatory bowel disease. Corona virus has been implicated by Dr. Bruce Williams of the Armed Forces Institute Of Pathology. Chronic inflammation increases the rate of flow of nutrients through the intestine. When flow rate through the intestine is increased, there is not sufficient time for water to be extracted and the stool produced is soft or watery. Chronic irritation also shortens the length of the villi, finger-like projections that line the small intestine, giving them a “club-like” appearance. This, combined with the increased flow rate through the intestine, does not give the ferret sufficient time to absorb needed nutrients and vitamins from their food. Chronic inflammation also increases the amount of mucous produced by the cells lining the large intestine. This gives the stool a mucoid or jelly-like consistency. When bleeding ulcers form, the stool may be dark and tarry. Often the rectum and anus of these ferrets are inflamed and protruding due to frequent defecation.

We are suspicious that bacteria are the underlying cause of many cases of inflammatory bowel disease because many ferrets improve when given antibiotics. In mice, the disease does not occur when the animals are raised without bacteria. These can be harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter and Helicobacter mustellae) or perhaps normal bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract in animals where the immune system falsely identifies them as invaders. Malfunction of the immune system leads to infiltration of the walls of the intestine with defensive white blood cells called lymphocytes and/or eosinophils. These attacking white blood cells liberate a number of destructive enzymes that further inflammation.

Treatment

In some ferrets, allergies to chicken or beef are the suspected cause of inflammatory bowel disease. The condition often improves when the ferret is fed a bland, highly digestible diet. An excellent line of novel protein diets is produced by Innovative Veterinary Diets Co. These are cat diets based on peas and duck, rabbit or venison. Another group of good diets for this condition are produced with protein hydrolyzed so that their molecular weight is below 10,000 Daltons. These diets are marketed under the Z/d and H/A labels.

Stress can be a contributing factor to diarrhea in ferrets. Your ferrets need a quiet, undisturbed place to retreat from the commotion of the house.

Many cases of inflammatory bowel disease respond to treatment with metronidazole (Flagyl, 5-10mg/pound twice a day) and ammoxicillin (5-10mg/pound twice a day). Pepto-Bismol (0.5ml three times a day), cimetidine (Tagamet, 5mg/pound three times a day), and Pepcid AC are also helpful. Some veterinarians have had success using Biaxin antibiotic (clarithromycin,2.5mg/pound twice a day).

Because of too rapid a transit time through the intestine, vitamins are poorly absorbed. Coat condition can be improved with 3-4 drops a day of liquid pediatric multivitamins (Poly-Vi-Sol, WalMart Generic Equate, etc.).

Sometimes an anti-inflammatory drug of the cortisone class must be given to decrease gastrointestinal inflammation. I usually use prednisone or prednisolone (0.38mg/pound every two or three days). Higher doses may be required. These drugs destroy the white blood cells that have infiltrated the intestine. Unfortunately, they also decrease the infection-fighting ability of the body by weakening the immune system. They also cause weight gain and a number of undesirable side effects. It is best to give these drugs as infrequently as possible.

When ferrets do not respond adequately to prednisone or prednisolone, some veterinarians have used the anti-rejection drug Imuran (aziothioprine) successfully. It is used in humans to prevent transplanted organ rejection and to treat a variety of malfunctions of the immune system. It is a dangerous drug to be used only as a last resort. White and red blood cell and platelet counts can drop to dangerously low levels on Imuran so frequent blood samples are necessary. I have no personal experience using this drug.

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