When a patient presents in respiratory distress it is necessary to determine if the distress is cardiovascular or respiratory in origin. Signalment, history, and physical exam are extremely important; the presence or absence of key pieces of information attained from these help to initiate appropriate therapy in a timely manner. Because of the patient’s compromised state, restraint, examination, and diagnostics must be carefully executed. The domestic ferret, Mustela putorius furo, has become a popular species in the pet trade. The work up for dyspnea in ferrets is similar to that in other species, however knowing disease predilection can help with diagnosis. Respiratory obstruction is often a diagnosis of exclusion. Tracheal tumors are very uncommon in domestic species and management should be based on thorough evaluation.