How I Work up Pu/pd in a Ferret

Polyuria and polydipsia (PU/PD) is not easy to notice in an individual ferret when it is housed in a group. This may be one of the reasons why some textbooks mention that kidney disease in uncommon in ferrets. Only in a case of severe polydipsia does the owner notice that the ferret is continuously found near the water bowl or bottle. To confirm that the ferret indeed has polydipsia, it is best to ask the owner to measure water consumption for a couple of days. Although no references for normal water consumption in ferrets are published, it is safe to assume that water consumption over 100 mL/kg/day is excessive. Based on the differential diagnosis of PU/PD in dogs and cats, a list can be compiled for the ferret (Table 1). It is useful to have this list as a guide when working up the case. One of the more common differentials in dogs and cats, diabetes mellitus, is considered extremely rare in ferrets. In addition, no information could be found on diabetes insipidus and the possible use of a modified water deprivation test in ferrets. In dogs, hepatic failure is associated with hypercortisolism and a disturbance of vasopressin release. Up to now the author has not seen any association between PU/PD in a ferret and hepatic failure.