TABLE 3-1.

Differentiation of Common Gastrointestinal Diseases that Cause Weight Loss and Diarrhea in Ferrets by Typical History, Clinical Findings, and Laboratory and Radiographic Results^*

Disease	Typical Diarrhea	Vomiting/Bruxism	Prolapsed Rectum/Tenesmus	Associated Physical Findings	Laboratory/Radiographic Results	Comments/Pertinent History
Helicobacter mustelae gastritis	Black, tarry; mucoid, green	Yes	No	Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes	± Reactive hepatitis ± Anemia Gas in stomach	Recent stress (i.e., surgery) Can increase in severity with age
Epizootic catarrhal enteritis	Acute—profuse mucoid, green Chronic—grainy (“bird seed”)	Possible	No	± Thickened or fluid-filled intestinal loops	± Reactive hepatitis	Acute onset, can become chronic Recent exposure to new or young ferrets
Proliferative bowel disease	Mucoid, green	Rare	Yes	Palpably thickened large bowel	± High globulins	Affects young ferrets primarily
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis	Mucoid, green	Possible	No	± Thickened intestinal loops	Eosinophilia ± Reactive hepatitis	Rare occurrence Multiple tissue involvement (visceral lymph nodes, spleen)
Inflammatory bowel disease	Mucoid, green	Possible	No	± Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes	Reactive hepatitis ± High globulins ± High lipase	May develop secondary to other GI diseases
Foreign body	Black, tarry or mucoid, green	Yes	No	Palpable gastric or intestinal gas Painful abdominal palpation	± Reactive hepatitis Anemia (chronic) Gas in stomach or intestinal loops	Acute or chronic Young ferrets—toys, etc; Adult ferrets—hairballs more common

^*Although typical findings are listed, clinical signs and physical findings are variable in any of the described diseases.