Pip died January 3rd at 12:15 a.m.  She was only 26 months old.  Pip
belongs to Andrea and James but has been staying at our house (since last
March) until they find suitable housing.  The necropsy showed numerous
small hemorrhages in many of her organs and 3 large ones in her stomach.
No cause of hemorrhaging determined.  Speculations though.  Nothing to do
with cause of death but the condition of her kidney was suggestive of
Encephalitozoonosis which is an intracellular parasite that is normally
chronic and latent.  As I mentioned this was only suggestive - the parasite
was not found.  Pip's samples were sent on to Dr. Williams.  Pip was a
delightful little furball.  She was adorable and quite the trouble maker.
She was loved for her wiley ways and individual personality.  She is
painfully missed by all.
 
On another note the 3 I took to the vet last night all had CLOSTRIDIUM in
their stool samples.  These 3 looked healthy, long thick soft coats, normal
stools (texture, color, form), normal urine, normal appetites.  They still
were active at times, however, they slept more than what I believed to be
normal.  The only indication of illness was a look around the eyes (try
telling a vet that).  Larry looked them over and we let each one wander
around the room showing normal investigative ferret behavior.  Each stool
sample (the boys were so good they each gave us a clean urine (one urine
sample was contaminated from a previous fecal sample) and fecal sample)
LOOKED normal.  Larry said - "there's nothing wrong with these ferrets"
(with a smile - he's learning more to trust my calls).
 
Now we are treating these 3 and Rikki with Chloramphenicol.  If that takes
care of the problem I will treat all of the others.  If not we will do a
sensitivity test.  Anyone have experience with this bacteria?
 
The interesting part is that when I looked up this bacteria in the Hillyer
and Quesenberry book it was listed under gastric bloat.... When we had ECE
we also had several with GASTRIC BLOAT.  Friends in Wichita also had the
gastric bloat in one of their ECE ferrets.  See a connection here?  How many
others that had ECE had bloated ferrets?  So if this is ECE related (which I
believe it is) could this be why we were hit so hard.  Amoxi, Keflex and
Baytril did not work on this bacteria.  Those we have tried and the usual
antibiotic to fight secondary infections is Amoxi so if the Chloramphenicol
works then that might be the antibiotic of choice for ECE to prevent the
excess of Clostridium.  More on this as the mystery unravels.
 
Exotic Animal Formulary -
Exotic Animal Formulary, James W.  Carpenter, MS, DVM, Dipl.  ACZM, etc.,
29.95+3.00 s/h from Veterinary Specialty Products, Inc., 1-800-362-8138).
The section on ferrets is small but valuable.  The other exotics covered are
fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, hedgehogs, rodents, rabbits, miniature
pigs, primates.
 
I'll be off-line from 4:00 Friday 1/17 to 7:30 Monday 1/27.  If anyone needs
to reach me please try my home number (913) 456-8337.
 
Hugs to all.  tle
[Posted in FML issue 1818]