VNJ Volume 39 (6) December 2024 | Page 27

Plus-Hex CLINICAL
Table 4 . Signs of chronic pain in ferrets [ 10 – 12 , 15 – 17 , 20 , 21 , 26 – 36 , 41 ] .
Physiological Emotional Appearance Postural Locomotion Behaviours
Weight or muscle loss
Reduced appetite or selective feeding
Excessive licking or scratching body areas
Changes to temperament
General malaise or lethargy
Changes to cognitive bias ( depression )
Reduced social interaction
Inability to , or reduction in , selfcare
Poor coat , reduced hygiene
Semi-closed eyes
Changes in posture when walking or standing
Changes in posture for normal activities such as toileting
Favouring one side when lying down
Hindlimb paresis
Reduced mobility and range of movements
Lameness , stiffness
Difficulty getting up
Stumbling , slipping
Reduced use of full accommodation
Favouring a particular side of accommodation that feels safer or has easier access
Reduced play and activity levels
Withdrawal
Aversion to handling , restraint , palpation of affected area
Bruxism with abdominal or dental pain or nausea
Under- or overgrooming
Hiding
Change in habits such as sleeping or sleeping position
Difficulty eating with dental pain
such gastric ulcers ( after prolonged hospitalisation ) ( Figure 13 , page 22 ), or a poor analgesic / anaesthetic regime during surgery .
Common causes of chronic pain in ferrets include dental disease , oncological pain , spondylosis , spondylitis and disc disease [ 41 ] .
Dental disease is a common cause of chronic pain in ferrets . An example of dental disease in a ferret is shown in Figure 22 . Note the presence of inflammation and ulcers , due to the build-up of tartar .
Figure 23 shows an example of a cancer patient , which was not doing well a few weeks after the diagnosis of cancer . The female ferret was barely interactive , curled up in her box and facially grimacing . Despite being normothermic , she intermittently shivered and repositioned her sleeping posture , as if unable to get comfortable . In this case , it was difficult to distinguish between illness and pain , but buprenorphine was administered in the event that the patient may have been in pain , and her response to analgesia monitored .
Chronic pain will also be discussed in Part 3 of this series .
Figure 22 . Dental disease is a common cause of pain in ferrets . Figure 23 . A female ferret , a few weeks after a cancer diagnosis .
Volume 39 ( 6 ) • December 2024
27