Zen said
>You are indeed correct the the more talked about diseases are not really
>going to be screened by a two week quarantine.  But ECE is only one of
>many gastro-intestinal bugs.  Some of the others can be caught.
>Also parasites....
 
Yes, and this is one of the reasons for our (variable-length) quarantine
period... we try to do a pretty thorough health check.  But if a ferret
comes up clean--especially if a vet agrees with us!--within three days,
they don't kick around alone for another 11.  Unless they like being alone.
 
>>The most common serious ferret diseases that we talk about here--adrenal
>>disease and insulinoma--are almost certainly not communicable or linked
>>to anything that is.
 
>Maybe.  The fact that adrenal disease runs in clusters hasn't been
>explained yet and there might be a communicable component....
 
I did say "almost" certainly.  :-)
 
>But another point to think about is that ferrets do indeed die from
>shelter shock...
 
We have lost a ferret from shelter shock, but she was all alone--we suspect
other health problems.  She was old and thin and caged too much and
mishandled.  One night she just didn't wake up.
 
Shelter shock is the main reason we quarantine at all, and it's a good one.
We keep incoming ferrets in their own cage or at least their own bedding if
possible--if not, we give them nice fresh clean stuff that doesn't smell
too much like the other ferrets.  And over the next few days, they get to
meet the others in neutral surroundings.  There have been a few ferrets who
just looked around the ferret room and decided they were in heaven--usually
young ones.  And there have been a few who decided they would never like
another ferret, ever, no matter how hard we tried, nope, no way. :-)
 
Bob C's definitely right on that one.
 
Jen and the Crazy Business
[Posted in FML issue 2814]