>Just wanted to let you know my experience with smelly poop. My ferret,
>Slinky, was diagnosed with C Diff (Clostridium difficile) in Nov 2008.
>I have 3 other ferrets who haven't had C Diff, so it doesn't seem to
>be contagious.

Don't know what the normal intestinal flora of a ferret might be but
c. difficile IS normal flora in humans. Being on antibiotic therapy
causes the eradication of other intestinal bacteria resulting in an
over-growth of c. diff. Which results in increased amounts of c. diff.
toxins. flagyl is antibiotic of choice for an over-growth but if that
is not effective it's often necessary to resort to vancomycin which
causes a lot of side effects even in humans. Heaven only knows about
its use in ferrets. I surely don't. In humans, c. diff. is not usually
a problem since it's normal flora--the problem arises when you catch a
strain from someone infected by an antibiotic-resistant type. HIGHLY
contagious. If your others haven't gotten it, you may just be
phenomenally lucky unless ferrets don't acquire it like humans do.
In addition to diarrhea you may also see blood in the stool since it
causes severe inflammation.

Jim

Jim Morgan, Catholic Confederate residing in the Federal Satrapy of Ohio
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[Posted in FML 6758]