Because Smartgroups seems to have some problems losing things sent from
the site I am sending this from our e-mail addy instead as a second try.
(Yes, besides work moderators have problems, too, like anyone else, and
yes, we have contacted Smartgroups about the difficulty.  Mike made sure
of that.)
 
Thankfully, ECE is not contagious for an entire lifetime, though the
damage done by it may result in later intestinal woes, and even kidney
problems.
 
When we had it here we did not go to a pet store, or a show, or even have
visitors with ferrets for a full year to avoid spreading it.
 
Some have intermittent intestinal woes afterward due to damage to the
small intestine while some always suffer from such damage.
 
When a ferret has an unexpressed health problem being knocked down by ECE
can cause the other worry to emerge as well as happened with our 'Chopper
the Organic Helicopter.
 
The dehydration that occurs can create kidney damage and shorten a
ferret's life that way.  That happened to our Spot.
 
Scooter here developed IBD which is known to be a problem that can happen
as a result of ECE as well as possible other causes.  In turn, in some
(fortunately few, apparently) IBD can lead to lympho.
 
One thing I am looking forward to seeing is how many other health
difficulties reduce once the long, long, hard work toward eventually
developing a vaccine is fruitful.  Won't it be great if we also soon
afterward see fewer ferrets with IBD, kidney disease, lympho...?  It is
such important but difficult work.
[Posted in FML issue 3868]