To Debbie Riccio (of whom I am a staunch supporter and a friend):
 
    (For those of you who don't know, Debbie's problems with ECE have been
some of the most tragic and heartbreaking that I have come across, but
that's another story)
 
>I think - and this is my own opinion - not shared by many - that shelters
>who have had ECE should not take in any more ferrets.  This is not to say
>that shelters should go out of business or give up what they are doing,
>but switch to a new building/house.
 
    Debbie - while this is a good idea, in many places it just isn't
feasible.  In many places, there is only one person that runs a shelter.  I
would rather see an unwanted ferret with ECE for a few days than a ferret
get turned in to the pound or neglected by an uncaring owner, or abused in
some other way.  I know many shelters that are operating with ECE, and
although they have had to change their way of doing business, they still
provide a safe haven for unwanted ferrets.
 
    Also, when you switch houses/buildings, it's more than that (which I
hope everyone understands.  You don't bring any of the ferrets from the old
shelter into the new one.  Chances are everyone is infected and are possible
shedders.
 
>Many new outbreaks often occur on the show circuit.  I believe this is
>how it is spreading so rapidly.  Apparently once confined to the east
>coast, ECE has now spread across country as people travel to shows and
>then bring it back home with them.
 
    Yes, and also from people that import ferrets from the East coast for
breeding.
 
>I know of a couple of clubs who stopped taking ferrets into their existing
>shelters and opened new shelters.  I think this is the responsible thing
>to do.  I also think it is irresponsible not to tell people who drop
>ferrets off at shelters that you have had ECE.
 
        Yes.  And if you have ECE in your shelter, don't board any ferrets.
Sounds obvious, but I heard from several families who've left their ferrets
and shelters for boarding, and came back to sick ferrets....
 
>It's also been 2 years now since they were infected - Dr. Williams, do
>you think my ferrets are safe yet or is it still possible for them to
>pass this on to unexposed ferrets?
 
Honestly, Debbie, I don't know.  2 years seems like an awfully long time,
but so does 4 months.  I wish I could tell you.
 
Bruce H. Williams, DVM         Dept. of Veterinary Pathology
Chief Pathologist, AccuPath    Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]         Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
                               [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1242]