Super itchy ferret

[pazupazu1]

I wanted to post about what I am specifically experiencing with my 8 month old boy.

He had such a beautiful plush winter coat, but he started shedding it early February. It seems it is almost completely a summer coat now but I think he has a bit more to go, and I find a lot of his hairs on his bedding. My 7 month old still has a long winter coat, he is shedding slowly. I found it odd my oldest shed so early...

Anyways, he is super itchy on his shoulders and everywhere else. I noticed his skin was getting red on his shoulders I notice if I brush him daily it gets better, but I haven't been consistent since I keep forgetting!

Is this what comes with spring? I have only had them for the fall / winter so I haven't experienced spring or summer yet. It just concerns me because the 7month old has a beautiful thick and soft coat but the oldest is looking rather scraggly. 

I called my vet and discussed my concerns with possible adrenal, but she said he is much too young and she wouldn't treat him with little symptoms. I've also caught him mounting the younger one, but I haven't caught him recently. 

They are 100% raw diet with 1 raw egg yolk a week per ferret. I have salmon oil I can add to their food but I figured the egg yolk would do a better job. I'm willing to try anything to help my boy! I have Hydrocortisone topical but I highly doubt that would be safe to use? (it's 2.5%)

edit: I use unscented detergent for sensitive skin on their bedding. I don't bathe them. 

[Heather]

Seven/eight months...too young (the youngest I've ever heard is 9 months). I would suggest what you're seeing is spring....This is what is often referred to as break through symptoms. He's feeling the hormones, this is the trigger for adrenal. You can DES him as a preventative and shut those signals down now or you can wait until he develops adrenal. The coat shed, the new coat coming in...all very itchy. The mounting...that is spring and hormones. Even if he's neutered he's going to feel the spring rush of hormones, this is the beginning of the adrenal gland doing the job of the sex organs he no longer has.
ciao

[peacexlovexpets]

One way to help release the shedding hair is to give them a warm (not hot) bath or shower. I do it with my dog a lot when he is in his shedding seasons (and it works absolute wonders). The warm water helps exfoliate the skin and releases the hair that is ready to shed and usually will stop shedding (and the discomfort associated with it) for the next few days or so. You don't need to use shampoo (and I wouldn't if his skin seems irritated).

There is a cream rinse made by Dechra that works pretty good for inbetween shampooings that hydrates the skin nice-I have one boy who used to be really itchy and has a poor/rough haircoat that I started using the Dechra cream rinse on when he showers and it has done wonders for his dry skin.

If you are really concerned about his skin based on a diet standpoint-it doesn't hurt to add the egg yolk more regularly (maybe 3 or so times a week). I know people that feed an egg yolk every day, so as long as he is receiving a balanced diet and has room in his belly for egg yolk as a treat, the extra fats (which are more balanced with proteins etc. than giving him oils-which can lead to some pretty funky poops) wouldn't hurt.

[Heather]

If you feed the whole egg...it's better for them. The egg yolk is unbalanced...add the yolk and you're balanced...add a light sprinkling of egg shell (just light) and you're completely balanced...and....you are using a hair remedy. A raw egg can be fed once a week as a source of protein, fed twice a week and it will help deal with ingested fur. A ferret should have no more than 3 eggs during the week or they start to suffer from an unbalanced diet and you will have to deal with biotin issues.
Allowing the ferret to play in water...I usually use the shower does work great to help remove hair. Remember the water has to be as warm as you would enjoy for your bath. The ferret's natural body temp is 102 give or take....if you make a "warm" bath, like you would for an infant...it's too cold and they won't enjoy the water as much. Do not add soap or cream rinses as this damages their coat.
ciao

[abbeytheferret6]

My 7 month old still has a long winter coat, he is shedding slowly

Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/25147/super-itchy-ferret?page=1#ixzz5k4CiiAHG

I have not seen much shed with my boy either but took the furminator to him today and big surprise. Heard of these nice gadgets by way of the forum(a little expensive).