Please share this with everyone dealing with ferrets.  I have used this
treatment on 3 of my own ferrets who have shown signs of the ECE virus.
One had the ECE virus, but was too far gone when I finally did get this
information (she subsequently died after 2 weeks of suffering), but I
administered this treatment to 2 others who began showing signs of the
virus and they were fine within 2 or 3 days.  This information was given
to me from Marshall Farms, as written by Mary Van Dahm.  The following
information is not meant to take the place of qualified veterinary care.
Please consult with your veterinarian before starting your pet on any
treatment.  If you have any questions regarding this, please email me
(Kelly) at [log in to unmask]
 
No, there still is no cure or vaccine for this scourge on our pets, but
at least we are making progress treating the symptoms of this disease and
pulling more animals through it without all the dibilitating side affects
that many ferrets previously experienced.
 
Many of you are aware that the ECE (Green Slime) virus attacks the stomach
and intestinal linings of the ferret and inhibits absorption of fluids and
nutrients.  We had previously been counteracting this by providing the
sick animals with a very high calorie, easily digestible diet of Hill's
Prescription Diet a/d canned food mixed with Deliver 2.0, a concentrated
form of Isocal (a human nutritional supplement) at a rate of 1 can a/d to
2 oz. Deliver 2.0 fed in 1 oz. portions 3-4 times a day.  We were also
giving the ferrets Pepto Bismol or Kaopectate at the rate of 1 cc given
2-3 times a day.
 
The ferrets hates the Pepto Bismol and Kaopectate and we would find
ourselves wearing the medicines rather than the ferrets taking them!  We
also found these medications did not seem to prevent the nasty stomach and
mouth ulcers from forming in many of the ferrets.  I was also worried that
the coating action of these products would further reduce the absorption
of nutrients by the ferret's intestinal tract.
 
I had heard of Pepcid A/C being used safely on ferrets with gastric ulcers,
so I decided to try it on the ferrets with ECE.  Eureka!  It worked!
Ferrets that were already severly debilitated from the virus still took a
long time to recover, but most of the new cases (95% or better) that came
in responded right away to treatment.  WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE MOUTH ULCER
SINCE STARTING THIS TREATMENT and from the faster recovery rate of the
animals, I would venture to guess we have reduced or elimanated the stomach
ulcers in most cases, also.  Another plus is that ferrets rarely object to
the taste and such a small dose is given that they generally swallow it so
fast that they don't taste it at all!
 
The recommended dose to use for ferrets with gastric ulcers is .25 cc
Pepcid suspension per kg. (about 2 lb.) of ferret; given 2-3 times daily.
We have found that giving .10 cc per kg 1-2 times daily as soon as symptoms
of the virus start and continuing for 21 days (depending on the initial
condition of the ferret) has apparently been adequate to prevent the ECE
related ulcers from forming in most ferrets.  (Note: The Pepcid suspension
is made by crushing a 10mg tablet of Pepcid A/C and adding 10 cc of water
(OR PEDIALYTE) to it.  This suspension settles quickly and must be shaken
well between each dose administered.  Veterinarians may check with their
local pharmacy to see if there is another medium that will suspend the
ground Pepcid particles more favorably).
 
Dr. Susan Brown of the Midwest Bird & Exotic Animal Hospital has also
been trying Imodium (liquid) on some of the ferrets in her practice.  It
is given at the rate of .10 cc per ferret 2-3 times a day for 1-4 days.
(Usually given for 2 days, then skip a day, and then given 1-2 more days).
This treatment is still in trial stage and she recommends if for only
chronic or severe cases of diarrhea until more is known about long-term
effects of this product on ferrets (We have tried it on a few ferrets in
our shelter that were responding slowly to other treatments and it seemed
to work).
 
We have also found that administering prednisone has helped in some of the
ferrets with ECE.  A dose of .25mg -.50mg per ferret once a day for 7-14
days and every other day for 3 more doses, helps as an anti-inflamatory
agent and increases the appetite of severly affected animals.  (Note:
Prednisone AKA prednisolone is a prescription drug and must be obtained
from a veterinarian).  We advise that your ferret have a blood glucose
test prior to starting it on prednisone since the use of prednisone can
be detrimental to ferrets with hyperglycemia (diabetes).
 
While using the Pepcid A/C we still feed the sick ferrets the a/d and
Deliver 2.0 mixture, but for most ferrets we can cut it back to only one
1oz. feeding a day.  We have also been adding a pinch of brewer's yeast to
the mixture and a few drops of Petinic.  We also still use Amoxicillan in
some ferrets (usually ones with concurrent medical problems) during the
early stages of the virus to prevent bacterial 'opportunists' from further
complicating recovery.
 
We would like to hear feedback from our readers and veterinarians who try
this new treatment and hear what results you have with it.  So far all of
the feedback we have received has been positive.  Also, if you have other
things to suggest, please call Mary Van Dahm at the F.A.I.R. shelter:
708-681-3181.
[Posted in FML issue 3179]