Author wrote:
>Hello to all,
>
>In the course of finding out what this is, since they did not the first
>time, I have now visited an infectious disease doctor, who looked at my
>history and the fact that I live with my five ferrets, and feels that
>Echos' illness may have been leptospirosis and that in caring for him it
>was passed on to me.  Echo was treated with penicillin (amox) which is
>what should be used.  This doctor said that it is found in ferrets, and
>that my others, including echos' cage mate Tally, did not necessarily
>have to had caught it either.  The labs he drew on me should be back in
>a few days.  I have been looking on the internet and do not see where it
>is found in the domesticated ferret, but of course the MD said that he
>had found it in his literature.  I would appreciate any feedback from
>all who may have come across this.
 
While most mammals can potentially carry leptospirosis, I have never seen
a case in ferrets, nor have I heard of one.
 
While I would not want to malign the judgment of your infectious disease
doctor, it has been my long-standing experience that many MD's will
initially point at housepets in a vacuum of evidence.
 
Because of the extreme rarity of leptospirosis in ferrets, as well as
the fact that it has not been proven that either you or Echo have this
disease, or have even come in contact with it, I think you should
consider this as either a passing remark, or an idle observation.
 
Leptospirosis may be transmitted in the urine of rats and mice, may be
obtained from stagnant pools of water, or may be contracted from infected
carrier animals.  I once necropsied a dog with classic leptospirosis and
cut myself with the scalpel, but still didn't get this disease.
 
My suggestion would be to make no decisions until your tests come back.
Titers for leptospirosis are available for animals as well.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 4281]