Ferret Vet Costs

Ferret Vet Costs

A healthy ferret that is not suffering from any illness or injury will initially cost you at least $500 as initial vet fees for shots and yearly check ups, but you should plan on at least $1000 to $1500 in case your ferret has an emergency and the bill could exceed $2500 or more if you add in treatments for surgery or multiple illnesses throughout the year.

Initial vet fees for ferrets 

Your ferret will have to go to the vet for a check up and his yearly vaccines ( Rabies : Imrab-3 or Defensor-1 ) & Distemper: PureVax Ferret or Fervac-D ) and just this first visit to the vet could cost you up to $300 .

PS: You should expect allergic reactions in your ferret after Distemper vaccination, such as vomiting and diarrhea but sometimes even death if the ferret has previously undiagnosed diseases!

Therefore, expect additional costs for the administration of diphenhydramine before a vaccination and short-acting corticosteroid or an antihistamine if there will be a complication before the vaccination.

Then even if all goes well, you will have to take your ferret for a check up at least once every 3 months for an average of $50 to $65 for each visit, which will cost you between $200 and $260 over the year.

To avoid your ferret getting sick by surprise, it is better to take a stool sample for a fecal check up, which will cost you between $30 and $50 plus the $65 visit, so you should plan on at least $120 for this kind of visit.

Annual veterinary fees and minimums for a ferret in excellent health

If all goes well and the veterinarian will not find any health problems in your ferret during the visits, which is unlikely! , your ferret will cost you at least the following amount of money as veterinarian’s fees:

• 4 visits / year : $65 X 4 = $260 ( especially for ferrets + 3 or 4 years old )
• 2 vaccines : $20 to $35 X2 = $70 ( Distemper- $27- until 14 weeks , Rabies : yearly shots ) 
• 4 fecal check ups : $30 X 4 = $120 ( Testing for infectious diseases )
• 2 Blood check ups : $100 X 2 = $200 ( to measure the blood glucose concentration twice a year ).
• 1 Dental cleaning ( if you’re feeding kibble diet ) : $65 X1 = $65

These prices can vary from one vet to another and from one type of vaccine to another ( some vaccines can cost up to $130 for both ).

This will give us the minimum amount of $710 to plan for your ferret as veterinary fees for the first year, if your ferret will have no health problems! No parasites, no intestinal blockages, no accidents, and will not need any nutritional support products (recovery diets for carnivores) after the treatment…etc

Ferret Vaccination Cost in the US

Ferrets need at least two annual vaccines, about $20 each, one against rabies and the other against distemper virus. Add to this $40, the cost of the initial exam at the vet’s office which varies from one place to another. Please allow at least $150 to $200 for any treatment your vet may recommend.

Ferret vaccination Cost in the UK 

Vaccines against Distemper Virus and rabies can cost you an average of £40 each (they vary between £20 and £60) depending on where you live. Allow an extra £50 for the cost of the basic visit and check up and £50 for any treatment in case the vet discovers a health problem in your ferret.

Get prepared for emergency visits to the vet for your ferret 

I have seen ferrets that cost almost $5000 just to pay for the return trips to the vet and the causes can be numerous, just look at the list of diseases, parasites and cancers that ferrets can contract, not to mention accidents and surprise births (when you have a couple of unuttered ferrets).

Here are some ferret tumor surgeries and other emergencies that your ferret may encounter and that you must face by providing a safety fund for the veterinary expenses:

• Consultation : around $75.00
• Adrenal Disease injections : around $50 per month ( +3 months)  
• Hair ball obstruction surgery : around  $3000
• ECE or Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis ( viral disease caused by the intestinal virus : around $100
• Parasite treatment : around $120
• Fly larvae removal : around : $320
• Simple intestinal obstruction without surgery : around $1000 between Xrays , hospitalization and treatment ..
• Cancers : between $1000 and $3000
• Abscess Treatment : around $80
• Blood test : around $200
• Lymphoma test : around $500
• Lymphoma chemotherapy : $3000 to $4000 ( 6 months)
• Ferret ADV-FAS : around $110 ( Aleutian Mink Disease Virus,or a parvo virus )
• Ferret Spay : around  $200
• Ferret neuter : around $200
• Teeth Trim: around $25
• Ear Mite Check : around $30
• Ear Cleaning : around $40
• Nail Trim :  $36
• Bandage Application ( in case of an accident ) : around $40
• House call for emergency  : within 5 miles $75 & further : $125
• Hospital Care Overnight : around $50
• Ferret pet insurance : around $20 ( must have for senior ferrets )
• Ferret  Euthanasia : around $50 .

The bill can be more salty as your ferret gets older

A senior ferret will need more annual check ups at the vet, at least one every two months plus blood and stool tests ( 6 visits to the vet per year ).

Older ferrets are more prone to tumors, cysts, accidents and other illnesses, so plan on a larger budget as your ferret turns 3.

How to reduce the cost of ferret care?

To keep your ferret in good health and only go to the vet for routine check ups, you should

• Get your ferret from a passionate breeder and not a Marshall’s ferrets
• Feed your ferret raw diet plus whole preys from time to time
• Only give your ferret healthy treats
• Your ferret must have all what he needs : a spacious cage , always clean, at ideal temperature, must go through ferret potty training to keep him clean …
• Nails and dental care and check ups
• Your ferret should be out of its cage at least 6 hours a day to play and interact with you
• Don’t let any other animal near your ferret to avoid transmittable diseases and viruses
• Your ferret should have check ups every two months and stool and blood tests
• Make sure your ferret is clean as well as his bedding , toys...
• Make sure to remove anything that could hurt your ferret from the areas where it has access .
• Learn to detect ferret diseases as soon as the first symptoms appear
• Remember to get pet insurance for your ferret especially when it is older than 3 years.

Final Thoughts

Before you bring your ferret home, you should budget at least $500 for initial vet fees, vaccinations, check ups and tests to make sure your ferret doesn’t bring any diseases home with him.

Also expect additional costs if the vet diagnoses your ferret with a disease or even just mites or other parasites.

Always carry extra money in case you have to buy emergency medication for your ferret when you bring him home.