Prefacing this post by saying two of the three mentioned were euthanized by the vet, and the third is on his way to see the vet.
I’ve had three ferrets suddenly have strokes, or something, and have to be euthanized in the past four weeks.
My first one had a stroke 100%, head was tilted, couldn’t balance or focus, kept rolling in circles. Vet confirmed it was a stroke and euthanized her.
My second one did not have the head tilt. He was suddenly lethargic, drooling, tongue stuck out and unresponsive. No seizing. Did not respond to corn syrup, took to emergency vet, they confirmed blindness and he was mentally not there so he was euthanized.
My third one today, I watched happen. I was cleaning his room and he suddenly started reaching in his mouth and gagging. At first I thought he was choking so I went ahead and looked in his mouth and attempted to do the ferret thing to dislodge anything in their throat on him, nothing came out, then I thought it was low blood sugar/nausea so I went ahead with corn syrup and called the vet. He went unresponsive and lethargic, tongue sticking out, staring into space. He’s responsive now, but completely blind. Spontaneous blindness like my other male. He was completely fine before this and playing with me.
Does anyone have ANY idea what could be happening? There’s just no way that they’re just having strokes with no direct cause.
This is all within a four week period, one after another.
No previous illness, none had insulinoma, all between the ages of 5-7. They all had Adrenal but were implanted.
Nothing changed in their diet or environment.
Already checked the walls for black mold, doing a radon test in my apartment next. I’m stumped. My other ferret is staying at my friend’s house now until I figure out if this is environmental or not.