Re: ECE: Unfortunately, it is pretty well impossible to be absolutely sure
of any pet store kit not possibly having ECE.  It's yet one more reason to
hope that the on-going research into the disease continues, and to create
new funding should the funding ever dry up.  It's one of the types of
projects that help not only ferrets and ferret folks, but anyone who sells
ferrets, as well.
 
>Now, I'm wondering if there is any way to test those distribution places
>for ECE contamination?  I thought that Dr. Williams had said that there
>was some evidence for a virus causing ECE.  I'm also thinking that it
>might be prudent for the distributors to keep the ferrets from the
>various farms completely separate; might be possible to determine which
>farm(s) may be carrying ECE.
 
It would be prudent for a great many reasons beyond ECE, too.
 
Dr. Matti Kiupel is the primary researcher working on the ECE coronavirus.
Right now the test is very hard to do and very expensive, but the hopes
(and there is no reason to doubt that these will at sometime be possible)
are to wind up down the line with an affordable and easily done ECE test
and even a vaccine.  It is a long process and not an easy one.  One of my
personal hopes is that secondary GI tract illnesses, splenamegaly, and
secondary kidney problems will have some rate decreases, too, when this
illness is controlled.  If exposure to this coronavirus helps trigger any
other illnesses then perhaps we'll see rates of something else go down,
too, at that point...
 
Have ferret health questions?  Find help at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list
and
http://geocities.com/sukieslist
 
Re: FHL: Joining, getting digests, unsubscribing, etc. are automatic.
Some aspects such as choose digests or read-on-site-only can be done
from the website using the provisions Yahoo has made for these, and
don't forget that the site also has a search engine, messages, Files,
Bookmarks, medical photos, etc. available, or by sending BLANK mails
from the address used to the appropriate addy:
 
<[log in to unmask]> joins you
<[log in to unmask]> gets the digest instead
                                            of individual mails
<[log in to unmask]> removes a subscription
<[log in to unmask]> is the addy to which members post
<[log in to unmask]> contacts the moderators
<[log in to unmask]>  gets help info
 
Figured I'd better mention that because sometimes folks don't realize
what things they do for themselves and ignore mails telling them how,
so seeing it elsewhere may aid them.
 
Kay said:
>Adrenal disease like everything else in ferrets is different in each and
>every ferret, so if you question if it might or might not be check with
>your vet.
 
Now, THERE is a very logical and practical statement!  Beautiful!  Nothing
replaces good VET CARE.
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 3808]