For those interested in animal food studies or in spongiform encephalopathy
in mustelids there is a very interesting (though not for easily turned
stomachs) article in today's (Wed. 3/11/97) New York Times on pages C1 an d
C11.  Fortunately, the Times is a paper which any library pretty much can
get a hold of so anyone should have access.  (Posted since it COULD have
importance for ferrets if they get it as readily as mink, and since standard
pet food manufacture is gone in to in some depth in the article, also
because some backyard mills might follow the same feeding practise which got
the several hundred minks' brains so ill.)
 
Bob, 'Chopper has always had a thing about blue, so it may be that some pet
ferrets can see it (or that she prefers the specific neutral it looks like).
Her preference is so strong that around the holidays she will remove and
stsh ONLY blue baubles, and it another ferret wears a blue collar that
ferret will be mercilessly abused till the collar is removed.  There are
other blue stories, too.
 
Jeff, glad you tackled the recent Van Weil's topic and ECE, but wish you had
pointed out that calling a disease other than ECE "ECE" is like calling
gastroenteritis "stomach flu".  The latter is not influenza and ECE is not a
bacterial disease nor runs from other causes other than ECE itself.
Mislabeling things can cause a REAL unexpected uproar -- something which I
saw first hand a quarter century ago when I had leptospirosis from a
restaurant and my physician informed the county that I had Van Weil's (which
is why I know the name).  Yep, all Hell broke loose.  The same thing can
happen if folks are given reason to think that a ferret may have ECE because
it is so contagious.  Miscalling something "ECE" or calling it "stomach flu"
which is a meaningless term that can naturally result in all SORTS of
problems, so it pays to find out what you are actually dealing with such as
coccidia, or e. coli, or salmonella, or giardia, or whatever and posting
that when you make your mention.
 
Meltie is having a off couple of days.  Just staying on top of it, which
means poor Steve isn't getting much sleep because I've got a lungs-ful of
influenza, so he's stuck with all the critter work while I wash my hands raw
and use a face mask.  (Notice how slowly and carefully this was written?
Actually, I'm almost better.)
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 1869]