Hi,
 
It wouldn't be surprising if you did have ECE.  Healthy-looking ferrets can
be carriers, and can start shedding the virus again, infecting others, when
they're stressed or ill from something else.  My herd got ECE this way.  We
lost one and almost lost another.  But whether they have ECE or something
else, the following is what I recommend.
 
Any ferrets that look weak, wobbly, dehydrated, messy-looking fur, or
otherwise ill--get them to a ferret-knowledgeable vet ASAP.  Dehydration
is a killer.  Pinch a bit of skin on the back of their necks and let go.
If the skin fold does not quickly spring back to its usual position, the
ferret is dehydrated.  I would start giving the ferret Pedialyte or at
least water, by dropper if it wouldn't drink, and go right to the vet.
If it's on the weekend or at night, go to an emergency vet and tell them to
get fluids into the ferret.  (If the vet doesn't know ferrets and doesn't
want to do anything, I would tell the vet the disease is ECE and that I
know the ferret will die without intravenous fluids.  Any vet can do an IV,
which is critical.)
 
ECE (and other bugs that attack the digestive system) makes it difficult
for ferrets to absorb enough nutrients from their food.  So you need to
feed them something they can readily digest.  Ferret and cat chows are
not easily digestible.  I would hand feed them Gerbers or Heinz Chicken
babyfood as many times a day as I could, while keeping chow available in
their cage.  (You may have to stuff some in their mouths at first, but most
will find they like it.  The babyfood will spoil quickly, so you can't just
leave it in the cage for them.) Also, you can try the various duck soup
recipes out on the Web, but avoid any that contain dairy products.
 
Some ferrets get a chronic intestinal inflammation that takes months,
literally, to get over.  These ferrets need the easily digestible diet
that whole period.
 
If you have ECE, you've got it for life.  Once these kids get over this
outbreak, if you get new ferrets, you can plan on the new ones at some
point getting ECE.  My opinion is that younger (but not baby) ferrets
handle the disease better.
 
Now for the REAL scoop from a ferret expert, check out this website:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets
It is by Dr. Bruce Williams, the ferret pathologist who knows a great deal
about ECE.
 
Best of luck on dealing with the infection.
Jacqueline
[Posted in FML issue 2736]