Howard Davis wrote:
 
>Anyone hae ideas how to reduce the "risk factor" associated with taking
>fuzzies to the vet?
 
Well gee, Howard, now that you asked.....
 
I think more responsibility needs to be placed on vets and their helpers.
Receptionists should try not to book fuzzies back-to-back, reducing the
number of strange ferrets together in the waiting room.  Of course, if
it is a big ferret practice, that may not always be possible.
 
After seeing very sick ferrets, a vet - and anyone else who handles them -
should change their lab coats and wash their hands and arms.  The room
should be treated just like a Parvo dog or leukemia kitty was in there -
there are standard protocols in animal hospitals for suspected infectious
cases.
 
Sick ferrets that are admitted should be isolated - again, as Parvo dogs
and leukemia kitties are. I'm not talking about adrenal-sick, or insulinoma-
sick, but diarrhea-sick.  OTOH, these suggestions should be followed for
recovered ECE ferrets as well, who may still be carrying the virus.
 
Try to avoid boarding your ferrets at the vet if at all possible - have
someone you know take care of them for you.
 
And when you are in a vet's waiting room and someone else has ferrets as
well as you, don't pet each other's ferrets!  I've had no problem telling
others, "please don't touch my ferrets - they've had a very contagious
disease"  Afterall, I'm only trying to prevent what happened to me from
happening to someone else.
 
Shelter people need to be particularly careful - they certainly don't want
to bring ECE home to the shelters - just ask Troy Lynn.
 
You know, you think you're doing the right thing by taking your healthy
ferrets for a checkup, only to have those 2 ferrets break with ECE 2-3
days after the vet vist - with no other ferret exposure - and then have
ECE break thru your entirely colony - once again.
 
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1534]