There is a rescue in my area I have been helping out there for month.
They have been hit with a deadly virus that is killing many of the dogs,
cats, and ferrets and making the humans working with them sick.  It is
not responding to the antibiotics and they are not even sure what it is
yet.
 
Does any one have a clue what this could be or how it is spread?
 
Symptoms are:
 
Day: 1
 
Animals are acting normal for some reason they just stop eating any forum
of food if you try and force feed they will not swallow.  They how ever
will drink water on their own for day 1 and 2.
 
Day: 2
 
Dark red blood coming from rectum and bleeding in mouth.
 
Day: 3
 
Animals entire body turns a fire engine red and the animal dies with in
an hour or two.
 
Humans have large amount of stomach gas and cramps some bleeding in
stool.  If they eat any food it gets worse.
 
Has any shelters had any thing like this before and what is causing this
to spread this is been going on for 2 weeks.  Cage mates one or 2 die
from it the other is fine.  Animals that are not in contact with a sick
one can get it.  Mortality is 100% so for in the animals.  Helpers are
going to move all of the healthy ones to a new home to see if it can stop
the spread but will this help.
 
Blood work and things have been run on sick and non sick animals and not
a thing show up difference in the blood, no fever in any sick ones all
are up to date on all of the shots the ferrets are all ADV - and the cats
are FIP -.  They know it is not distemper, feline aids or ferret ADV no
one has a clue of what they are dealing with.  Does any one here have any
ideas?  The only thing so far that it does not affect is the birds in the
rescue.
[Posted in FML issue 4744]