It’s a mouthful, but for the coughing ferrets who don’t seem to get better and don’t respond to amoxicillin or baytril, we now know why! Often the cough is Mycoplasma Infection and the most common culprit (this is hearsay and I cannot verify this!) is probably Real Canadian ferrets. RC ferrets often acquire coughs at older ages and it was suspected this was heart issues.

A vet has done some research and figured out it was Mycoplasma infection acquired as babies. Poor conditions aids the spread of this disease and the damper the air is, the farther the bacteria can spread. These ferrets can harbor it and spread it to others.

Symptoms of Mycoplasma are very similar for people as in ferrets. It is walking pneumonia and yes, you could catch it from your ferret! (I did!)

Read the symptoms here: http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/mycoplasma/fact_sheet.htm

I am working with a vet to determine the best course of treatment. The good news is we know what we’re looking for and how to prevent the spread.
Healthy ferrets usually recover on their own without treatment!