To Carol-Anne, the H.F. and others:
IN MY EXPERIENCE...
I have had the greenies (ECE) since 3/93. I have my theory of how I was
exposed. It has cleared up, come back, cleared up, etc. BUT that is because
I am a shelter and every new ferret into my home is a new source for the
virus to live on.
All this time, (2+ years) my personal ferrets have either never or only
rarely had a second attack. The older animals, when feeling under the
weather, have had loose and/or green stools once in awhile, but in two days
it is gone. I don't really consider this a second attack, but some of you
might. Some of my personal ferrets have undergone MAJOR surgery (Blinky &
Patches for insulinoma, Red Dog for 2 tumor removals and a blockage) and
never had the slime during these times. I have shelter ferrets right now
recovering from adrenal surgeries and a spay - the spay's greenies turned
into a bacterial infection and now she is on medication and the mend.
I have kits right now (2 weeks old) and once again - they are not born immune
to the greenies, but it passes so quickly in and out of their little bodies
that they are not phased by it. Most kits come down with it at about 4
months (after all those stressful shots) and then it is over with.
This is my position (take it for what it is worth):
If a ferret has no hidden health problems, is young, or the owner wants to
participate with other ferret owners at fun matches, ferret shows, and club
meetings, then expose the ferret to build some immunity while there are less
complications. But you must be aware that your ferret might possibly be a
carrier and to be considerate of other people's pets.
I have taken my ferrets to fun events, put signs on their cages, parked them
in the fartherst corner of the room, and people still wanted to handle them
and for them to participate in events. To the best of my knowledge - no one
came down with the greenies after that day. My ferrets had not had an
outbreak in 2 years and had been exposed to no recent outbreaks at my home.
So maybe they are not carriers the rest of their lives.
On the other hand - the shelter is just recovering AGAIN from an outbreak.
I could just not accept any more ferrets and shut down, but then where will
all the ferrets go? I'd rather expose them than have them destroyed (with
the exception of the older ferrets - I don't want to expose them).
I talked with a woman yesterday for almost a half hour about the greenies.
She had read something about it on another BBS, and she still wants to find
a friend for her 5 month old ferret. Being honest does not stop the shelter
cycle. In fact, it culls out the adoption process one step further.
We are going to be stuck with this virus for a good long time. If my theory
is correct, the invention of a vaccine will still be no better unless the
ferret farms innoculate their kits before shipping - and that will raise
costs and I doubt these profit minded facilities will participate. Once a
ferret gets the virus, then the vaccine is worthless. Also, vaccinations
are like giving a little bit of the virus to a ferret so it's system can
fight it off and develope an immunity - isn't exposing the animal when it is
young and healthy the same thing?
I don't discriminate as to whether a ferret coming into my shelter has had
the virus or not - I guess the virus free shelters have to do that to stay
virus free. So where do the ferrets exposed to the virus go? How do you
know that the person surrendering the ferret is honest about it's exposure?
Maybe the ferret was ill and they didn't know why and forget to mention it?
This topic really is facinating and I'm going to explore it deeper for my
next STAR* newsletter. I would like to collect people's direct concerns and
questions and address them in my article and I'll be happy to post it on the
FML once it is done.
E-mail me directly (STAR [log in to unmask]) if you want me to save your
question/comments/concerns for the article.
Pam Grant
The Ferrets of Pet Pals
Shelters That Adopt & Rescue Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1249]
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