My two ferrets are very sick and not really showing signs of improvement!
It's been about a week that they haven't been able to keep food or water
down, and what they do keep down speeds through their systems in a matter of
minutes.  The stool is green and mucus-y.  We've tried giving them
Amoxicilian, (sp?) Flavin (sp?) Pepto, Pedialyte.  They can't keep any of
it down.  We've now started them on injections of fluids and injectable
antibiotics.
 
They were recently exposed to 8 ferrets who have not, or ever shown symptoms
of ECE.  However the vets we've seen are convinced it's ECE.  (Basing that
opinion solely on the green poo).  Some people believe it was stress, but
I've seen them "stressed" and they got along fine with those other 8 ferrets
(prior to that, they had never been exposed to any other ferret, any other
person who owned a ferret.  Several months ago they were exposed to my
parent's dog -who is in perferct health, and about a year a go I shared my
apartmentmate had a cat, that they eventually got along with).
 
I'm really beginning to lose my mind!  I don't think it's ECE, I don't think
it's stress.  But either way, they're loosing alot of weight and not getting
better!  I've been trying to call Dr. Bruce Williams to see if there is any
real possiblity that it could be ECE (Before all this, We did hope to get
more ferrets at some point, maybe in a few months, but not if we're going to
get more ferrets sick).  I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone,
and every vet we've seen can only tell us that they're not a ferret expert!
 
Our ferrets no longer trust us because every time we pick them up we're
forcing food down their throat (Which only makes up throw it back up) or
sticking them with needles.  I feel like what we're doing is only making it
worse!  They've had so much green poo their bottoms are swollen and raw.
I'm totally heart-broken.
 
Any help you can offer or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
-Jennifer
[Posted in FML issue 1906]