Hello,
I have a few questions about ECE.  And I want some opinions on my
hypothesis.
 
I bought Stuff, the "cotton eating ferret" a year ago from a breeder in far
east Texas called Covenant farms.  The breeeder never mentioned anything
about ECE, and I didn't ask.  Stuff is doing fine, and is a great ferret.  3
Months ago I bought a shelter ferret.  The proprietor of the shelter never
mentioned ECE and I didn't ask.
 
        [the moral of the story is ASK! ASK! ASK!]
 
Samwise is a pretty good ferret, but he has a very nervious disposition.
Maybe he was abused.  He has slowly but surely warmed up to us, and to the
other ferrets.  I took him out in public a week ago, and he was so nervious,
he pooped on me.  We will of course surround him with love and treats until
he feels more comfortable.
 
Anyway, Samwise has had Seedy stoles since we got him.  I have since
bringing him home, found that the shelter has had ECE.  Now, on my end, I
have had no definitive indicator that My ferrets have the ECE.  All of them
have and the occational loose stool.  A little mucous here, a little green
there.  No anti-freeze poops or very smelly poops.
 
I have a third ferret I am baby-sitting for the Summer.  The ferret is about
4-6 years old, and I took it because at the time, I thought I was a ECE-free
household.  This little girl has been here 4 weeks with nothing unusual.  I
have brought Stuff to a friend's house that is ECE- free and now I might
have been endangering her ferrets too... but none of them had any reactions.
 
  So, my question is:
  Is there anyway to test for ECE, to see if they have been exposed?
  (don't really think so, unless I take them to a known ECE carrier)
 
I have several hypotheses:
1)None of my Ferrets have had ECE.
2)All of my ferrets have had ECE at some point.
3)Samwise has had ECE a long time ago (but he is only a year and a half) and
he is no longer contagious for the virus.
 
I am actually upset that the shelter did not warn me when I called looking
for a ferret.  Never warned me when I brought my other ferret over to meet
her future housemate.  But once again, I should have, and anyone reading
this, should ASK if you have a question.
 
Nathan
--
Heather and Nathan Viles
(Heather) [log in to unmask]
(Nathan) [log in to unmask]
http://www.smu.edu/~hmccowen
http://www.smu.edu/~hmccowen/ferret.html
[Posted in FML issue 1598]