Hi, Rich!
 
I've heard descriptions of two of the NW ferrets.  After hearing expanded
versions one sounds like Chiclet sounded -- the description consistent
with a massive bacterial or maybe fungal infection, and the other sounds
very different from Chiclet.
 
Is this a clump similar to what happened in PA, NJ and CT months ago?  I
don't know.  Is there one cause or many?  The opinions of vets who are
ferret experts vary.
 
There is one thing I DO know: they don't seem to be showing up everywhere
and showing up in one general area differs from what one would expect
if they had had contracted something at their place of origin, so I
personally doubt the farm is the origin.  I do slightly wonder if perhaps
regional distributors could be involved -- though often with months
between the time they'd have been at distributors and onset that is not
terribly likely since ages have been 3 months to 10 months in the ones I
have heard about.  If the origin happened in a farm then the problems
would be everywhere, not first in one small clump at one side of the
country then months later in another so far small clump at the opposite
side of the nation.
 
My own gut feeling is that what may be being seen -- if it not a
coincidence of separate types of infections just being noticed more -- is
that perhaps (This is a MAYBE.) there is something in a type of insect or
other critter which tends to feed from only one host when possible as
some female mosquitos do if they are undisturbed and that for some reason
some kits are more vulnerable to it or it's not a common disease, or some
kits just are more inclined to sleep so deeply that the feeding insect
remains undisturbed for a long time.  That is nothing more than a gut
feeling, though.  I have heard just about the gamut about these handful
of individuals: that what are being seen are more likely separate things,
that one disease may be involved, that it may be passed by an insect or
arachnid, that it might be a weird parasite or parasite product involved,
that it might be fungal, that it is probably bacterial (This one is
almost universal.), etc.
 
Having lost 7 month old Chiclet to her cellulitis and sepsis not 2 months
ago when her heart became involved after 6 weeks of care, Steve and I
still very rawly know what it is like to face a severe mystery infection.
(Those who want to read about her in case that info may help treating
vets will find the full info in
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org and
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html .
Accounts of other ferrets in this region who had massive infections at
the same time can also be found at both locations.
[Posted in FML issue 4261]