My ferret's rib bone is poking out, but she seems fine. Is it normal?

Firmness under the left rib cage could be due to more serious problems like bloat, an enlarged liver/spleen, or an abdominal mass, but if Slinky is now eating/drinking normally and pooping normally (normal consistency and frequency), I would just continue with the ferretlax for 3 more days and perhaps offer Oxbox critical care slurry for added hydration. If tomorrow and the next day the abdomen still feels firm on palpation, it would be safest to schedule an exam +/- ultrasound or abdominal radiograph with your local exotics veterinarian. Ferrets are prone to developing insulinomas and adrenal tumors that usually are not noticeable on palpation but if the firmness persists, it would be best to rule out some of these more serious conditions. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Nala. Hard to tell from just one picture but I see the protrusion of the rib cage. The last rib on the rib cage is what we call a "floating rib" because it doesn't connect to the sternum or breastbone. This protrusion looks more towards the front of the rib cage in this picture. The best advice here is to let your veterinarian take a detailed history and perform a complete physical exam. They may advise some chest x-rays to evaluate the structure of the ribs and look for any problems. Some rib cage abnormalities are not significant and some are. It just depends on their severity and what exactly the abnormality is. It's possible some injury occurred during birth or playing to account for this. Really hard to tell at this point. I would let your vet check this out and I would do it ASAP if this is something that just came on suddenly and Nala has any degree of breathing problems. Good luck and I hope this is just a structural problem and won't lead to any health problems.

Yes, I would have it relooked at to be safe. Without seeing it in person, I can't say if it's normal or not, so it's always good to have any concerning part of your dog's body checked out by a vet.

Ferrets should be plump, but not fat, You should not see the ribs and spine, but should feel the ribs easily, If the ribs and spine are not visible, then she is likely a normal weight. Unfortunately the photo does not show her body well enough to evaluate her properly. Since you only acquired Jasmin recently, I suggest you take her to your vet for a basic initial exam and to introduce her to your vet, who will then also assess her body condition.

Handsome boy! It’s not uncommon for some puppies to have the last rib flare out. It’s nothing to be overly concerned about. If he’s an active dog I recommend feeding him as much as he wants to eat while growing. The recommended amount on the bag is just a guideline. As he ages and becomes less active and not growing as quickly he should not eat as much. As far as chewing goes he’s a puppy and is probably teething so he will naturally chew on things. Please get him chew toys so he doesn’t chew the furniture. This stage should last a couple of months then most dogs grow out of it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chicago.

Opie looks pretty normal in the pictures. It may be that he's just getting a bit overweight. If he's breathing normally, not panting while resting and calm, has good energy and appetite, then it's probably ok to watch it and just keep an eye on his weight. If he's doing anything funny, or you just have a bad feeling about it, it's worthwhile to have a quick exam to make sure it's normal. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know without being able to see Timber. However, it is possible that this means that he needs to gain a bit of weight as usually ribs sticking out is one of the criteria veterinarians use to determine the body conditions score of a patient. Perhaps make sure that Timber is being fed the needed caloric intake based on his specific information which takes into account the breed, activity level, age, among other things. This is something your veterinarian can calculate for you with some additional information. Good luck and have a great day!