Ferrets may vomit for a variety of reasons ranging from food or foreign objects to infections and neoplasia. Often, vomiting is due to eating something they shouldn't, such as a snack of dog or cat food.  It may also be from swallowing something indigestable such as a piece of string or a piece of a toy.  Some ferrets get hair balls (also known as trichobezoars) and may wretch several times before finally vomiting them up.  Gastritis and gastric ulcers often cause vomiting, and certain tumors that block the stomach or intestines will produce vomiting.  Viral infections, bacterial infections, and parasites can cause vomiting.  Sometimes rough handling can injure a ferret and cause it to vomiting.  Whenever a ferret vomits more than once, a health consultation is recommended.  If a ferret vomits blood, that is a medical emergency and a veterinarian should be seen as soon as possible.

Please see our Care Sheets: Ferrets - Gastric Ulcers, Ferrets - GI Foreign Bodies, Ferrets - Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ferrets - Lymphoma, and Ferrets - Diarrhea.

Copyright 2008
Kevin Wright and Jay Johnson
Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, LLC
744 N Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85203
info@azeah.com