On Thu, 4 Jan 1996 [log in to unmask] wrote:
 
>I hope I am wrong, but it sure sounds like canine distemper.
>Are the pads of the feet scaly? Are there any scabs under the chin?
 
Canela's skin is scaly and flaky all over her body - including chin and
foot pads. But her skin is 40% better than she was two weeks ago.
 
>Does Canela have ocular discharge as well as nasal?
 
No, just lots of dark nasal discharge.
 
>Does she have any tics or twitches that don't seem to go away?
 
No.  She just scratches more than the others.
 
>I am keeping from fingers crossed that it is not distemper.
 
Distemper never occurred to me, only because I though the infected ferret
would go downhill quickly.  Canela seems to do something of a yo-yo, but she
continues to gain weight, and does a more respectable "chomp" on my feet
every day :).  Of course, she definitely went downhill after I gave her a
distemper shot at 4 months...  I have no idea if she was vaccinated before I
got her.
 
What does happen exactly when a ferret contracts distemper?
 
Tanya
[Posted in FML issue 1434]