Melissa ask the difference between ECE and Shelter Shock.  I'll do my best,
but remember, I'm not a vet, just a shelter dad.
 
ECE is most likely caused by a virus.  It attacks the intestines and does
them serious damage, making it difficult for them to adsorb nutrients or
fluids.  Signs are profuse diarrhea (green, yellow or brown), dehydration,
weight loss, and without lots of supportive care, death.
 
Shelter Shock is most likely a stress related flare-up of bacteria; often
helicobacter or sometimes a member of the campylobacter or possibly both;
depending on what is inhabiting the intestines of the ferret.  Both are
common in seemingly healthy ferrets.  Stress, such as a change in homes,
change in foods, new ferret in the household, etc. may depress the immune
system enough to allow the bacteria to flare up.  Signs are just about
identical as with those of ECE, profuse diarrhea, sometimes vomiting,
dehydration, weight loss, and without supportive treatment, death.
Helicobacter may also cause ulcers to form; the external signs being
teeth grinding, black tarry stools.
 
As you can see, the two are very similar in external signs.
 
Treatment of any diarrhea must be aggressive.  We use Pepto Bismol to
control the diarrhea (unless the ferret reacts violently to it, in which
case we use Kaopectate).  Getting the diarrhea under control is primary
since the ferret can die of uncontrolled dehydration.
 
ECE, being a virus, does not react to antibiotics, but antibiotics are
often given to prevent secondary infections (like helicobacter).
Carafate/sulcrafate are given to help heal any ulcerated tissue.  Syringe
feeding and hydration are critical if the ferret does not eat or drink
adequate amounts on his own.
 
Helicobacter can usually be treated with amoxicillin, metronidazole, Pepto
Bismol and carafate for the potential ulcers.  Syringe feeding and hydration
are also critical if the ferret does not eat and drink adequate amounts.
 
Campylobacter does not react well to amoxicillin.  Treatment is often with
erythromycin, or tetracycline.  Again syringe feeding and hydration are
often critical.  Typically we treat with amoxicillin.  If the ferret does
not begin to recover in a few days, we are prepared to switch to the
erythromycin.  So far we haven't had to.
 
With aggressive treatment of the Shelter Shock (treatment starting within
the first 6 - 12 hours at the most), the durations seems to be on the order
of 3 - 7 days (we had one group who were unusually weak that took 10 days).
Delayed treatment may prolong the duration to several weeks or more.
Regardless of when the symptoms clear, we will usually continue treatment
for 4 weeks.  That seems to prevent relapses.  The ferrets seem to bounce
back a few weeks following the end of the diarrhea.
 
With aggressive treatment of ECE, the duration (from what I've been told)
is on the order of several weeks to months.  Even after recovery the ferret
may have difficulty ever regaining weight.
 
Shelter shock, in my opinion, is far more common than ECE.  If I'd hazard
a very unscientific guess, I say maybe 90% of the "ECE" we hear of is
actually Shelter Shock of one kind or another.
 
Dick B.
4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 2588]