Hard time breathing

[aurra]

Bossk is having a hard time breathing. He's making noises like he has a stuffy nose or stuffed lungs. He's still running around. No personality change. He coughs a little bit to. I've been as careful as possible durring this time and the virus isn't really crazy where I am in Ontario Canada. So I don't think it's that. Especially because no one else in the house it showing signs. Except Boba threw up 4 times in a row 2 nights ago but I think she over ate because she's been fine and Rex did that a few months ago.

Should I go to a vet? I'm wondering if he has a hair ball. He doesn't have any mucus around his mouth nose or eyes

[caitmonster]

Does the cough sound like this? It's a video Sherry posted: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/11403/cough-fur-stuck

Hairballs usually result in hard coughing, or digestive problems if they've progressed too far (skinny poops or none at all, lack of appetite). Is the air very dry? You could try using a humidifier, or having him hang out in the bathroom while it's steamed up from a shower.

Rocky sounded congested too a few weeks ago, but was eating, drinking, and playing as normal, so I just kept an eye on him and it passed without needing to see the vet. I'm guessing he got a cold of some sort even though neither me nor my SO were sick.

[aurra]

It kind of sounds like that but a little less intense. He seems fine so I'm just going to keep an eye on him. He doesn't seem to be struggling with breathing. He just making noises. My humidity is at 40% right now. It's normally higher but my boyfriend had to go get more distilled water and hasn't come back yet. They are shedding and scratching a lot right now. It's probably just hair.

If it is hair... He loves ferrettone and hates salmon oil. Will ferrettone help because it's an oil? Should I spare the lax because his poops are normal? He hates egg 😒 no matter how hard I tried with these guys, only 2 of them will eat egg

[caitmonster]

I don't know too much about Ferretone since I've never used it myself, but I understand there's some controversy over the BHT preservative in it being a carcinogen. I found a study that claims it's not a carcinogen, but did have some toxic effects on rats: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396675

That aside, extra virgin olive oil is another option, have you tried that? There's a suggestion here about gradually mixing salmon or EVOO with salmon oil to help transition ferrets over: holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/treats-for-ferrets/

[aurra]

I know. I hate ferrettone but my vet said he liked it so I bought it. I have 3 extremely picky eaters, one that just not mentally all there and 2 that I have to be careful with because they will try to eat everything. Treats have been hard for me lol.

I already gave him a bit of ferrettone before I saw that. He drank some water and is trying to eat right now. Poor guy. I'm going to try a small amount of the salmon + evoo tonight to see if he'll take it just like that or if I need to put it in a syringe

[unclejoe]

ferrets can get flu and recover. I once had it go thru my busyness of of 9. they all got it and all recovered . it took about 10 days for it to go thru the whole gang

[aurra]

Thank you uncle Joe. I read that but I wasn't sure. I don't believe much of what the news is saying right now. There's so much information going around. All I know is that 5G doesn't carry the virus lol.