Tara Radford wrote:
>The symptoms are sudden onset of spiked very high fever that seems to go
>up and down,lethargy,dehydration,anorexia and hind leg weakness.It hits
>very fast.Kits who should be playing are just lying there,high fever and
>suddenly unable to even walk.It's heartbreaking.They suffer.
 
I'm extremely concerned about the above symptoms you've indicated being
the key "signs" of this mystery illness.  Why?  Because I have a ferret
that came down with the FLU last year with these EXACT symptoms.  And I
mean E-X-A-C-T.  Lethargic, weak, high fever, refusing to eat and drink,
etc.  And it hit FAST.  Although she wasn't a kit, I'm worried about
people confusing the flu with this "mystery illness", and PRIVATE AS
WELL AS PET STORE KITS BEING NEEDLESSLY DESTROYED because people are
mistaking one illness for another.  I personally don't believe this kind
of responsibility should be left in the hands of people who are NOT
professionals.  IT'S PEAK FLU SEASON!!!!!!  I can't begin to count the
number of times I've walked into a pet store and visited the kits there -
only to see people constantly sticking their fingers through the cages
despite the signs asking them not to.  Now, during flu season, what are
the odds of very young kits being prone to picking up things such as the
cold and flu with all those dirty fingers in their faces?  Or how about
the kits that are actually held for a period of time, by how many
different people throughout the course of a pet store day?  How about
those of us that are extra careful when sick, but still SOMEHOW manage to
pass it on to the kits?
 
The two proposals regarding this "mystery illness" posted on the FML is a
recipe for absolute disaster and undoubtedly needless killing.  And I
honestly HOPE people will - FOR THE SAKE OF THESE INNOCENT ONES - leave
this to the PROFESSIONALS.  PLEASE.
 
Suzanne, Tootsie and Sneakers (the flu survivor)
[Posted in FML issue 4406]