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Heartworm Disease (Dirofilariasis) in FerretsJust one heartworm could kill a ferret, as their hearts are so small. Heartworm can be treated but the disease is very serious and the treatment is risky and expensive. Some of the symptoms are:
Prevention is much better than a cure so if you know you are in an area where heartworm is prevalent, speak to your vet about the best medication to keep your ferret safe. Before starting on any heartworm prevention medication, your vet will probably want to do a blood test on your ferret to make sure it’s not already infected. I was told to use 10 drops of the large dog tube of Revolution for each ferret by my vet. However I have also been told that the 5-15lb size cat tube of Revolution should be used per ferret for maximum protection against heartworm. Be aware that Revolution doesn’t kill heartworms, it is only a prevention. Speak to your vet and be guided by their advice.
There’s an interesting article written by Dr Sandra Mitchell about the difficulties in diagnosing heartworm in ferrets. The Miami Ferret site has an article with some graphic photos of what the vet found in a ferret's heart when it died of
heartworms,
and there is more information on
Ferret Central.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill. It’s only meant to supply general information on a particular illness which was obtained either from personal experience with my sick ferrets, or from books and/or the Internet. Return from Heartworm Disease in Ferrets to All About Ferrets
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