>From:    The Clarks <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Possible Aleutian.
>Last night I was feeding the new baby's at Petco's again.  That's when I
>was told the bad news.  A Lady had bought one of the little ones from
>there five days ago and she insists it has given her two existing ferrets
>ADV.
 
Without more facts, I'd be inclined to think ECE.  Untreated, its quick and
deadly.  We got a round of it from a ferret we took in as a rescue.
 
Aleutians can be found in an autopsy.  There are antibodies deposited in
the organs, and then the immune system attacks its own organs.  The
antibodies and the visible damage done to the organs can be seen.
 
Whild ADV is very hardy and transmissble, the general conclusion is a
ferret often won't show any clinical symptons for for weeks or even years.
It kills nastily.  When testing for ADV the test won't show anything until
at least 60 days after exposure.
 
KG
[Posted in FML issue 3015]