Just to clarify a previous post which may have been misinterpreted or
misunderstood.  It is not to say baby ferrets could never catch the ECE
or distemper viruses, but rather that at under 9 weeks it should not be
the first consideration.  The reason vaccinations are started at 8 weeks
is because the mother ferret's immunity is effective in the kit until
that time.  We like to think mom has had her distemper shot and that the
antibodies she passes on to her kits help to protect them from a variety
of bacterial and viral threats.  Stress is the most important factor to
consider in young kits fresh from the pet store, and this often manifests
itself with a blow to the immune system.  New owners see eye, ear
infections which may look like distemper, and ought to be an alarm in an
older ferret, and green stool from stress/bacteria.  Antibiotics are in
order and even tho' they won't cure a virus, they are very useful in
treating bacterial infections and in preventing respiratory complications
in conjunction with viral infections.  That's why we used antibiotics with
our ferret flu cases and got prompt, uneventful recoveries.  Much faster
than my human tenant who had no flu shot, refused antibiotics and had a
month-long respiratory infection which may have been "walking" pneumonia
The ferrets were exposed to the flu through him.  The flu shot is highly
recommended to anyone who can tolerate it; especially people who have
ferrets in the household.  I had the shot and although exposed again and
again, did not get the killer flu.  Maybe just lucky?
 
Ferret Rescue of the Western States, Colorado Springs.
[Posted in FML issue 2597]