>From:    G&R Computers <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: ECE
>My oldest ferret, (Hootie), is displaying signs of ECE.  I just bought a
>baby ferret (6 weeks old), that so far appears to be very healthy.
 
An all too familiar story, I'm sad to say.  I can't tell you how many times
I've heard this in the last year.  The really sad part is, most people who
bring home a baby ferret and infect their current crew, have no idea what's
going on.  And some vets seem to be relatively clueless too.  I won't get
into how clueless, but more than a few ferrets around here have lost their
lives after a baby ferret was brought into the home, and the affected
ferrets were getting inexperienced vet care.  I know of one that told the
owner of an ECE ravaged ferret... "Don't feed him.  He'll eat when he gets
hungry."  Yeah, right.  Anyway, that's another topic.
 
If Marshall Farms themselves haven't contracted the virus, then it must
be in distributors across the country, since the same story comes from so
many different areas of the U.S.  Pretty strange, but far be it from me
to suggest that maybe it's in MF's facility.
 
There's plenty of info on ECE on the 'net.  Our shelter's web site (see my
signature below) has a few articles on it.  See the "Health Issues" page
when you get to the site.
 
For the ferrets,
Mike
 
* Michael F. Janke, [log in to unmask]
* Secretary, South Florida Ferret Club & Rescue
* A 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation
*
* Visit our shelter's web site:  http://www.miamiferret.org
* Visit the Adrenal/Insulinoma web site: http://www.miamiferret.org/FHC
[Posted in FML issue 2638]